In brief
A Wisconsin jury convicted Demetric Scott of identity theft and witness intimidation after he forged threatening letters to deport a robbery victim. Scott, who represented himself during trial, faces up to 26 years in prison at sentencing. The victim, Ramon Morales Reyes, was falsely implicated in the threats made against Trump. Morales Reyes, who is illegal but seeking a U-visa, expressed relief at the verdict as he confronts his own legal struggles.
MADISON, Wis. (RTW News) — A jury in Milwaukee found 52-year-old Demetric Scott guilty on Thursday of felony identity theft and witness intimidation.
Scott attempted to leverage a robbery case against him to intimidate the victim, Ramon Morales Reyes, by forging letters threatening to kill Donald Trump. Representing himself in a three-day trial, Scott was immediately taken into custody after the jury reached a verdict.
The incident dates back to September 2023 when Scott attacked Morales Reyes, stealing his bicycle and injuring him with a box cutter. Hours after the attack, Scott, while in jail, penned several letters impersonating Morales Reyes, issuing threats directed at Trump.
In reaction to the threats, which were taken seriously by federal immigration authorities, Morales Reyes was arrested in May, raising further complications in his immigration status which had already been precarious.
Investigators revealed that Morales Reyes, who struggles with English, could not have authored the letters due to the language barrier and the discrepancies in handwriting. Scott, while incarcerated, was recorded discussing his plans to have U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) act on his behalf.
Despite acquittals on several counts, including robbery and battery, Scott faces a total of 26 years in prison for convictions related to endangerment and prior bail jumping charges. His sentencing is scheduled for February 27.
The case has drawn attention, highlighting issues of abuse and intimidation in the context of immigration. Morales Reyes, who has lived in the U.S. since the 1980s and has three U.S.-citizen children, expressed relief over the conviction, emphasizing the trauma his family has endured as they navigate these legal challenges.
“He just wants to work and be with his family again,” said Morales Reyes’s attorney.
