New Albany man pleads guilty to threatening DeWine, Yost, LaRose, others

An Ohio man from New Albany pleaded guilty in federal court this week for sending 92 threats toward 30 public officials, among whom were Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, Republican Attorney General Dave Yost, and Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

Among the 31 counts of federal crimes to which Ronald Lidderdale pleaded guilty were “mailing threatening communications, transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking,” according to a Department of Justice release.

In Lidderdale’s residence, the law enforcement allegedly seized “two 9mm pistols, ammunition, a lock-picking kit, and tactical gear,” authorities said in the release.

“Threatening political violence against public officeholders is antithetical to our system of government and will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II said in a release. “Public officials must be permitted to carry out their duties free from threats that cause concern for their personal safety and the safety of their loved ones. Perpetrators like Lidderdale, who use mail or the internet to engage in such conduct, will be taken at their word and prosecuted accordingly.”

FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie also said in the release that Lidderdale “violently threatened public officials because he didn’t agree with their views,” which, he said, is unacceptable in the United States, adding that Lidderdale “will be held accountable for his criminal actions.”

Between July 2024 and May 2025, Lidderdale allegedly sent threats to murder and injure Ohio politicians, among whom were DeWine, Yost, LaRose, as well as unidentified members of the Ohio Supreme Court, state lawmakers, and a gubernatorial candidate.

Lidderdale also allegedly threatened several members of the U.S. Congress, according to the press release.

According to authorities, in his letters, which he would send to offices and homes of victims, Lidderdale would put a 9mm bullet with Yost’s name etched on it and white powder, which later turned out to be ricin, a deadly toxin.

He would also send threatening emails using Swiss servers, which provided the encryption and, therefore, anonymity, the feds said. In the emails, Lidderdale would threaten to murder the officials by shooting them in the head and/or by poisoning them, while repeatedly justifying his desires by claiming that his victims deserve it due to them allegedly being “fascists” and “pedophiles.”

Lidderdale, according to the release, also anonymously submitted an online tip to the FBI, saying that his “urge to act has hit a boiling point” and that he thinks that “removing those parasites will bring a renewed peace to all of Ohio,” adding that “this is a fair warning that my urge to kill will break my patience.”

During the investigation, the authorities also allegedly discovered that Lidderdale was using AI chatbots to discuss how to legally evade responsibility for those crimes and what to do if he is convicted and sent to a federal prison.

In May 2025, Lidderdale was arrested and charged, the press release said, adding that Lidderdale could spend up to 15 years in prison for his crimes.

In a separate release, LaRose responded to the recent news by saying that he is “grateful for the work of federal law enforcement and prosecutors to bring justice in this case,” adding that “at a time of growing concern about the safety of public officials, we need to send a clear message that threats and acts of violence will not be tolerated.”

“This person targeted my family, stoked fear in our community, and drained the valuable resources of our first responders, who had to process his tainted letters and investigate his taunting death threats,” he said.

LaRose added that Americans are living in “a cauldron of toxic social media, shrill partisan rhetoric, and often-unfiltered hate speech that consumes our influencer-driven culture.”

“It’s inciting people who are unwell to commit acts of violence, and it must stop. I call on all public leaders, regardless of party, to lead by example and clearly denounce the vitriol that too often corrupts our speech. We are better than this,” he said in the release.