I’m currently in law school, and I got curious about how Daniel’s case is going, so I put together a pretty detailed overview and update. It includes some context and what I think the likely outcome might be.
I know it’s detailed and very long, so if you don’t want to read all of it there’s a TLDR at the bottom.
While going through the court filings, I found some interesting details—like significant procedural missteps by the government and major due process violations related to Daniel’s hospitalization and competency restoration.
You can also read the case files here if you’re interested:
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68494815/united-states-v-larson/
Here’s a broad timeline for context:
July–December 2023: Daniel’s Bomb Threats - July 3, 2023: Daniel makes a bomb threat targeting a county courthouse in Colorado. - August 7, 2023: Another bomb threat, this time against a nonprofit center in Lakewood, Colorado, causing mass evacuations, several hours of interrupted services, and triggering a large law enforcement response. - August 29, 2023: Daniel threatens to bomb the White House, significantly raising his profile. - September 26, 2023: Additional threats made against a state government building and a college campus in Colorado. - December 25, 2023: Daniel directly threatens an FBI special agent with violence.
Early 2024: More Serious Threats - March 23, 2024: Daniel threatens to bomb the FBI headquarters. Prosecutors noted to the judge that Daniel had recently told an FBI agent he had “been to jail” where he learned “how to make a bomb” and ignored multiple explicit FBI warnings that continued threats would lead to indictment.
April–May 2024: Arrest and Initial Court Proceedings - April 24, 2024: Federal grand jury formally indicts Larson on multiple serious federal charges related to bomb threats and threats of violence.
Daniel was charged with seven federal counts total: - Use or Threatened Use of Explosive Material (6 counts, each under 18 U.S.C. § 844(e)): - Each count carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment. If sentenced consecutively, this could total up to 60 years. - Interstate Communication of Threats (1 count, under 18 U.S.C. § 875(c)): - Carries a maximum penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment.
Because Daniel faces multiple counts, his potential sentence is significantly greater, especially if convicted on multiple charges with them stacked during sentencing consecutively. - May 1, 2024: Daniel is arrested and makes his initial court appearance.
Government initially mishandles grounds for detention badly: - Daniel’s lawyer argued (correctly) that the initial grounds for detention (18 U.S.C. § 3142(f)(1)) were completely invalid for his charges, as they’re intended only for defendants accused of certain violent crimes or serious offenses, including crimes of violence, terrorism-related charges, certain drug offenses, or crimes involving firearms or minors. Clearly, Daniel’s charges—threats without physical acts—did not meet these criteria. - This shouldn’t be confused with Daniel’s specific charges under his indictment, which never changed, but rather strictly the specific statutory justification the prosecution used initially to try to detain Larson. - If the government hadn’t quickly corrected their error by switching to the proper statutory basis (18 U.S.C. § 3142(f)(2)), which specifically allows detention for defendants posing a serious flight risk or risk of obstruction, Daniel’s defense had a strong legal argument that his ongoing detention was unlawful.
Ultimately, the judge ruled that Daniel should remain detained, agreeing with the prosecution’s amended argument that he presented a serious risk of flight and posed a potential danger to the community.
She stated:
“Mr. Larson has four prior warrants for failure to appear, and he has also had his probation revoked in a number of state court matters. He was on state court probation in two separate cases during the commission of the alleged instant offense. The state court has ordered him to complete a mental health evaluation, which he has failed to do. Based on these facts, I conclude by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of the community or that the Defendant will appear at trial as required.” - Still, improper detention can create major procedural issues for prosecutors. While outright dismissal was unlikely at this point, the government’s mishandling of detention was significant, creating substantial leverage for Daniel’s defense and potentially impacting the prosecution’s position moving forward.
May–July 2024: Competency Issues Emerge - May 23, 2024: Both prosecution and defense jointly request a psychiatric evaluation, questioning Daniel’s mental competency to stand trial.
In the joint motion requesting a psychological evaluation, the defense and the government noted bizarre behavior while in custody:
“Based on the information contained in the pretrial services report, his interactions with others in this case, and his interactions with employees of the detention center, the government and the undersigned believe there is reasonable cause to believe Mr. Larson ‘may presently be suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him mentally incompetent to the extent that he is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings.”
- July 11, 2024: Psychiatric evaluation officially finds Daniel incompetent—unable to comprehend the charges or effectively assist in his defense.
Late July 2024: Officially Declared Incompetent - July 26, 2024: Judge Rodriguez officially declares Daniel incompetent and orders hospitalization in a federal facility for competency restoration, limited to a period of up to four months.
July–October 2024: Government Delay, Case Nearly Dismissed - Daniel’s lawyer, Jared Westbroek, filed a 20 page status report and request for immediate transfer, arguing forcefully that Daniel was unlawfully stuck in jail awaiting mandatory mental health hospitalization. - His lawyer set an aggressive timeline—seven days—emphasizing that Daniel’s rights were being actively violated due to the government’s delays. - He demanded that the Bureau of Prisons transfer Daniel to a suitable hospital within one week and complete his evaluation by November 25, 2024, arguing that if the government failed to meet this deadline, the judge should dismiss the entire case.
Here’s what Daniel’s lawyer said verbatim:
“For almost three months now, Mr. Larson has languished in the Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Englewood, Colorado…Mr. Larson’s continued prehospitalization confinement—which might be five months—is patently unreasonable…That alone will render Mr. Larson’s continued detention after that date in BOP custody unlawful…If the Attorney General squanders the authority granted by the IDRA, it will lose its authority to detain Mr. Larson at all…The Attorney General’s authority to detain Mr. Larson further will expire on November 25, 2024…his continued detention after that date [would be] unlawful…If the Bureau of Prisons fails to transport Mr. Larson immediately…this Court should dismiss this case.” - In response, prosecutors argued that the legally required four-month hospitalization clock hadn’t yet started, because Daniel technically had not been hospitalized due to a shortage of available beds. They indicated hospitalization wouldn’t occur until December 2024. - Judge Regina Rodriguez partially agreed with Daniel’s lawyer, but set a different standard for when the four-month timeline begins, ruling that it starts when Larson actually enters the hospital—not from the date of the incompetency order itself.
In her order issued on October 9, 2024, she denied Daniel’s immediate request for transfer without prejudice, meaning it could be raised again later. However, she gave the government an explicit deadline, using notably strong language:
“If Defendant is not assigned to a suitable facility and beginning treatment by December 31, 2024, this Court…would then strongly entertain dismissing the indictment.”
- Given that it’s now March 23, 2025, and there have been no further filings or updates (except a bizarre motion to unseal filed by some freak who addressed the court as “Lil Sippy”) since the judge’s explicit warning, it strongly indicates that Daniel was hospitalized before the judge’s strict deadline of December 31, 2024.
- If the government had failed to meet this deadline, Daniel’s lawyer undoubtedly would have immediately filed a formal motion to dismiss, and the court very likely would have granted it.
The absence of any new motions or orders after that December deadline almost certainly means: - Daniel was transferred to the hospital in time, and - The serious risk of dismissal based on these delays was resolved.
If we assume he was hospitalized by the judge’s deadline (December 31, 2024), those four months would likely expire around the end of April 2025. - That means, as of today (March 23, 2025), Daniel is probably nearing the end of that hospitalization and evaluation period. Soon, the Bureau of Prisons will need to provide a formal evaluation to the court, stating clearly whether or not Daniel’s mental competency has been restored.
So, right now, the case is approaching a critical turning point. Within the next month or so, the court should receive an official update from the Bureau of Prisons about Daniel’s competency status.
If Daniel is Found Competent: - If Daniel regains competency and fully understands what’s going on, he’ll either head toward trial or negotiate a plea deal. The prosecutors have a strong case (multiple documented threats, FBI interactions, and ignored warnings), making conviction likely. - His lawyer will push hard to secure a plea deal, probably emphasizing Daniel’s severe mental health problems, homelessness, and the fact he probably couldn’t actually carry out the threats. - If there’s no deal, Daniel would go to trial and almost certainly face conviction due to the strength of evidence. - Given the seriousness of repeated threats and their capacity to be stacked, Daniel would likely face significant federal prison time, although the judge might require that he also receive mental health treatment while incarcerated.
If Daniel is Found Incompetent and Unlikely to Improve:
Dismissal or Civil Commitment: - The court can’t hold someone indefinitely if they’re permanently incompetent. If psychologists say Daniel likely won’t ever become competent, the judge would probably dismiss his charges.
If Dismissed, Civil Commitment: - Since Daniel made serious threats that hold severe legal consequences, he’ll likely still be seen as a danger given the judges Detention Hearing ruling - Prosecutors will push for, and successfully get, a civil commitment order. - He’d then go into a secure mental health facility instead of prison, keeping him off the streets without a criminal conviction.
Most Likely Outcome (~60-70% chance): - Given Daniel’s mental health history, repeated bizarre behaviors in custody, and the court immediately accepting concerns about his competency, the most likely scenario is that Daniel will be found permanently incompetent. - If that happens, the criminal case would likely be dismissed—but that doesn’t mean Daniel will be released. Instead, he would probably face indefinite civil commitment due to ongoing safety concerns, subject to regular court reviews every 6–12 months. - Realistically, given the seriousness of Daniel’s case, civil confinement could easily last many years, possibly even longer than a criminal sentence, unless his mental health significantly improves.
If Daniel Does Regain Competency (Less Likely, ~30-40% chance): - If he responds well to treatment and regains competency, he’d almost certainly push for a plea deal rather than go to trial, given the strength of the evidence against him. - Under this scenario, he would probably face around 2–3 years in federal prison, balancing just how serious these charges are against major mitigating factors such as his severe mental health issues and lack of practical means to act on those threats. - After release, he’d be under strict supervision and required mental health treatment. Even in this better-case scenario, Daniel wouldn’t be free anytime soon.
TLDR: Daniel faces a multitude of federal charges (up to 65 years total) due to repeated bomb threats and violent threats made throughout 2023–2024. Prosecutors messed up badly procedurally (wrong detention grounds and delayed hospitalization), nearly getting the entire case dismissed.
Daniel was found mentally incompetent in July 2024, requiring hospitalization to restore competency. After major delays due to stretched availability and backlogs, the judge threatened dismissal unless Daniel was hospitalized by Dec. 31, 2024. Since no dismissal occurred, he likely was hospitalized “on time” (still egregiously delayed, but within a timeline where the case didn’t get entirely thrown out).
Now (March 2025), Daniel’s hospitalization period is almost done. The competency update is critical: he’ll soon either be found permanently incompetent (I’d say most likely, ~65%), leading to dismissal of charges but almost certainly civil commitment (theoretically indefinite, but subject to periodic court reviews)—or regain competency (less likely, probably around ~35%), resulting in a plea deal and about 2–3 years in prison plus mandatory mental health care.
