‘Tick Tock, Sacramento.’ Elk Grove man arrested in alleged July 4 bomb threat
An Elk Grove man accused of threatening to blow up buildings in Sacramento over the Fourth of July holiday was set to appear in federal court Thursday to face a bomb threat charge.
Trevon McDaniel, 25, was arrested Wednesday after allegedly making a TikTok video in which he said it would be “a shame” if fireworks went off at federal buildings in Sacramento, according to an affidavit filed by the FBI.
“For everyone in Sacramento, we know you love your fireworks,” the affidavit alleges McDaniel said on the social media platform, wearing a spider-type mask with red eyes and a gray background.
“It’d be a shame if fireworks were going off near generators, so certain federal buildings were losing their power... Hmm... Tick Tock Sacramento, Tick Tock.”
The arrest stemmed from the FBI’s investigation into an alleged plot to attack a UFC fight event at the White House in Washington, D.C., last month. One of the suspects in that case, Abraham Alvarez of Nebraska, communicated with McDaniel via instant messages on TikTok, according to the affidavit by Kyle Roberts, a Sacramento police officer assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Agents traced the account used to communicate with Alvarez, dubbed “the_wild_wolfspider,” to McDaniel, finding one address for him in McKinleyville and another in Elk Grove, Roberts’ affidavit said. McDaniel had purchased multiple superhero and supervillain costumes from overseas that were delivered to the two addresses, the affidavit said, citing customs records.
The document also includes a transcript of direct messages that Roberts said discussed the use of fireworks over the July Fourth holiday to distract police.
“July is the month,” Alvarez allegedly wrote to McDaniel.
“Fourth of July,” McDaniel replied, according to the affidavit.
“Use subliminal messaging so people understand what you mean, but basically fireworks are a good distraction and a good way to divert ICE and cops,” he adds. “If you understand what I mean, give me a thumbs up.”
McDaniel was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on Wednesday and was ineligible for bail, records show. He was set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremy Peterson in federal court in Sacramento Thursday afternoon.
