A Minnesota brewery owner now faces up to five years in federal prison after publicly releasing a Secret Service agent’s phone number and urging his social media followers to harass the agent investigating him for controversial statements about President Trump.

From Social Media Posts to Federal Investigation

Kirk Bangstad, owner of Minocqua Brewing Company, drew federal attention after posting on social media about celebrating with free beer on the day President Trump dies. These comments came immediately following a third assassination attempt on the President at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The FBI’s Milwaukee field office confirmed they were investigating the posts, as they do with all threats of violence or terrorism against federal officials.

When contacted by federal agents to arrange an interview, Bangstad took to social media with dramatic claims. He wrote that people should not believe anything the federal government says if followers did not hear from him that evening, suggesting he was of sound mind and not suicidal. He directed his team to communicate through other channels if he was imprisoned, despite the fact that Secret Service agents do not imprison individuals without proper legal process.

Crossing the Line into Criminal Territory

Bangstad then escalated the situation by posting the transcribed voicemail from a Secret Service agent on Facebook, including the agent’s unredacted phone number. He instructed his followers to call the number and demand the agent stand down and honor his oath to the country. This action appears to violate the Protecting Law Enforcement from Doxxing Act, which makes it a federal crime to publicly release restricted personal information about covered persons with intent to threaten or intimidate them.

Legal Consequences Ahead

Federal law under 18 US Code Section 119 specifically prohibits knowingly making restricted personal information about law enforcement publicly available with intent to intimidate or incite violence. Violations carry penalties of up to five years in federal prison. Legal analysts note that Bangstad’s own social media posts clearly demonstrate his intent was to pressure the investigating agent into dropping the case against him. What might have been resolved with a warning about threatening elected officials has now become a serious federal matter with potential prison time.