Feds detain local man over threat to Obama

A Crescent City man was arrested by the Secret Service on Tuesday morning on suspicion of threatening Pres. Barack Obama, said Del Norte County Sheriff Dean Wilson.

John Gimball, 69, was taken into custody by federal authorities, Wilson said.

Secret Service agents notified the Sheriff’s Office that they were going to make the arrest, Wilson said, adding he had no details about the alleged threat, except that it was made electronically.

“Most of the time we won’t give information out on an ongoing case,” said a Secret Service spokesman in San Francisco.

Gimball has threatened public officials in the past, Wilson said.

Gimball was convicted of making threats toward Police Chief Doug Plack in 2004 on computer, according to Crescent City Police Department reports. Information about his sentence in that case was not available.

“His most recent arrest was for contempt of court and making annoying telephone calls,” Wilson said of Gimball. “He calls my office on average once a week or more. He contacts us and leaves lots of threatening messages.”

Wilson said the Secret Service had picked up Gimball before on suspicion of making threats toward former President George W. Bush.

“The feds have been here several times for Mr. Gimball under the Bush administration and under the Obama administration — he is a non-partisan offender,” said Wilson.