Federal authorities recently arrested an undocumented immigrant following the discovery of threatening letters addressed to President Donald Trump. However, prosecutors now report that these letters were actually penned by a Wisconsin inmate aiming to have the immigrant deported, according to a newly filed criminal complaint.
The inmate, identified as Demetric DeShawn Scott, allegedly authored the letters in hopes of removing Ramon Morales-Reyes from the country. Morales-Reyes is a Mexican national and a key witness in Scott’s upcoming trial for armed robbery and battery, as outlined in the complaint filed on Monday.
“I got a plan. I got a hell of a plan,” Scott, 52, reportedly told a contact during a recorded jail call on April 27. He later referenced Morales-Reyes in another call on May 16, stating, “This dude is a goddamn illegal immigrant and they just need to pick his ass up.”
Scott is charged in Milwaukee Circuit Court with identity theft, felony intimidation of a witness, and bail jumping in connection with this alleged scheme. Requests for comment from his attorney have been directed to Finance Newso.
Meanwhile, Morales-Reyes, a 54-year-old married man and father of three who works as a dishwasher, remains detained due to his undocumented status, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge on Wednesday, facing potential removal from the United States.
A senior DHS official indicated to Finance Newso that the investigation surrounding the threats is still active. “This individual was found to be in the country illegally and has a prior criminal record,” the official stated. “He will remain in custody.”
According to DHS, Morales-Reyes “entered the U.S. illegally at least nine times between 1998 and 2005.” His criminal history includes felony hit-and-run charges, criminal damage to property, and disorderly conduct with a domestic abuse modifier.
Morales-Reyes’s attorney, Kime Abduli, shared that her client recently applied for a U visa, which is designated for individuals in the U.S. illegally who are victims of particular crimes. Abduli contends that Morales-Reyes was attacked with a box cutter by Scott in 2023 and has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the process.
Abduli expressed her dedication to securing Morales-Reyes’s release from immigration detention, stating, “It’s been a whirlwind the past few days. It’s unfortunate that he has been caught in this situation, but we hope justice prevails.” She emphasized the emotional toll this circumstance has taken on Morales-Reyes and his family.
Morales-Reyes was arrested on May 22 outside a Milwaukee school after dropping off his daughter, who, along with his other two children, is a U.S. citizen, as noted by Abduli.
In a statement regarding the arrest, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem remarked, “Thanks to our ICE officers, this illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars.” The arrest occurred one day after both the Wisconsin Attorney General’s Office and local law enforcement received letters from Morales-Reyes’s purported address.
The handwritten letters expressed threats against ICE agents and President Trump while discussing immigration policy. Law enforcement noted that although similar, the letters appeared to be authored by the same individual.
The complaint included segments of the letters, written in English. During an interview, Morales-Reyes indicated that Scott was the only person who would want to implicate him in trouble, as he was aware of the robbery.
To determine the authorship, a detective had Morales-Reyes write a note, which exhibited handwriting distinctly different from that of the threatening letters.
Following the investigation, authorities also listened to recordings of numerous calls made by Scott from jail. During these calls, Scott discussed his intention to send letters and requested someone to mail them on his behalf.
In a call recorded on May 1, Scott instructed someone to write down an Immigration and Customs Enforcement tip line number. On May 11, he anticipated his trial date of July 15, the same date he indicated might work in his favor if Morales-Reyes were deported, effectively halting the trial.
Scott later admitted during a police interview that he solely authored the letters and that his intention was to prevent Morales-Reyes from testifying, not to threaten the President directly. He expressed that including a threat against Trump was strategic, anticipating that it would lead to law enforcement action against Morales-Reyes.
After the interview, Scott reportedly told his mother, “Whatever your plan was, it worked,” in reference to Morales-Reyes’s deportation. “He got deported… he wasn’t supposed to be here anyway,” he added, indicating his belief that Morales-Reyes deserved the outcome.
