A Wisconsin man who investigators believe framed an undocumented migrant with threatening to kill President Donald Trump in order to have the immigrant deported has now been charged in the matter.
According to state prosecutors, that man, Demetric Scott, admitted to framing the migrant, Ramon Morales-Reyes, whom Scott allegedly stabbed and robbed in 2023 and who was set to testify in the assault case against Scott.
In an interview with Milwaukee police investigators, Scott “admitted that he wrote everything on the letters and envelopes himself,” charging documents say. “When asked what was going through his head at the time of writing the letters, the defendant stated ‘Freedom.’”
CNN has reached out to Scott’s attorney for comment. A court hearing has been scheduled for later Tuesday.
That legal action against Scott, however, could be too late for Morales-Reyes, who faces a deportation hearing Wednesday after he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – an arrest triggered by the allegedly false letters.
Morales-Reyes’ immigration attorney, Cain Oulahan, told CNN Tuesday that the alleged confession “may help a little” in his client’s deportation case because it helps show he’s not a danger to the community.
The arrest was hailed by many Trump allies, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who accused Morales-Reyes of threatening the president even though investigators were already looking into the possibility that he was set up.
Noem and DHS have not issued a correction or update on the matter and its press release remains on its website.
Asked Tuesday whether it planned to issue an update, DHS sent the same comment to CNN that was issued at the beginning of the case, which states that the investigation into the threat is ongoing and “over the course of the investigation” Morales-Reyes “was determined to be in the country illegally and that he had a criminal record. He will remain in custody.”
Scott is set to go to trial in the assault and robbery case against him in July, but attorneys for Morales-Reyes are concerned that if their client is deported before then, the case could fall apart.
According to prosecutors, Scott coordinated with others to send several letters purporting to be from Morales-Reyes threatening to kill Trump or ICE agents.
Jailhouse phone calls previously reported by CNN show how Scott asked others, including his mother, for help sending letters and finding addresses for the local ICE office and for Attorney General Pam Bondi, police records show.
During a search of Scott’s jail cell, investigators found a blue pen – matching the color of ink used in the letters – as well as a note asking for the attorney general’s address and an envelope with the address and phone number for the local ICE office, prosecutors say.
Following an interview with police investigators on Friday, Scott allegedly called his mother and told her about his confession.
“The detective was like, ‘Well, whatever your plan was, it worked he said, cause he got deported now because we had to go pick him up,’” Scott allegedly said of Morales-Reyes, according to court filings.
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