CINCINNATI — Armed with a hammer, William D. DeFoor crossed the property line at Vice President JD Vance’s Cincinnati home shortly after midnight and began striking anything between him and the residence, according to federal court documents.
On Tuesday, prosecutors stated that, DeFoor attacked an unmarked federal law enforcement vehicle positioned across the driveway. He struck the driver’s-side window three times.
Secret Service agents ordered him to stop and drop the hammer.
He refused.
DeFoor then moved toward the house and repeatedly swung the hammer into large, historic glass windows across the front of the protected residence. The blows also damaged government-owned security equipment installed on the windows, causing approximately $28,000 in damage, according to prosecutors.
When officers moved in, DeFoor tried to run. Secret Service agents and Cincinnati police officers caught him nearby.
Eight months later, DeFoor, 26, stood before a federal judge and admitted what he had done.
He pleaded guilty Tuesday to engaging in acts of physical violence against a person or property in restricted grounds and willfully damaging property belonging to the United States.
The Jan. 5 incident occurred while Vance and his family were away from the home. Local reporting said DeFoor smashed 14 glass panels in three historic windows. As part of his plea agreement, he must pay approximately $28,000 in restitution and remain at least 350 yards away from Vance, his family and their residences.
Federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss a third charge—assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers—after DeFoor is sentenced, according to local public-radio reporting.
“Acts of violence directed against our political leaders, their families, or property have no place in our society and will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II said.
Gerace said elected officials must be allowed to perform their duties without facing threats, vandalism or violence.
DeFoor was charged by criminal complaint on the day of the attack and indicted by a federal grand jury later in January. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
Each offense carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The maximum penalties are not a prediction of DeFoor’s sentence, which will be determined by Cole using federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
A sentencing date was not announced.
The Secret Service, FBI’s Cincinnati field office and Cincinnati Police Department investigated the case.