William D. DeFoor, 26, has pleaded guilty to federal charges following an incident involving Vice President J.D. Vance's Cincinnati home. The charges include engaging in acts of physical violence against government officials and willfully damaging U.S. property. The plea was entered, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, stemming from an event where DeFoor allegedly breached the area surrounding the Vice President's residence while armed with a hammer.
"Acts of violence directed against our political leaders, their families, or property, have no place in our society and will not be tolerated." US Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II, Southern District of Ohio
The incident occurred during the early morning hours when Secret Service agents encountered DeFoor running along the front fence of the property. Federal charging documents indicate DeFoor repeatedly struck the driver’s-side window of an unmarked federal law enforcement vehicle with the hammer before targeting windows at Vice President Vance’s residence. Authorities stated that DeFoor refused law enforcement commands to drop the weapon during the encounter. At the time of the incident, Vice President Vance and his family were in Washington, D.C., and were not injured.
Federal prosecutors have estimated the damage to government-owned property at approximately $28,000. Following the announcement of DeFoor’s guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II issued a strong condemnation of the actions. “Acts of violence directed against our political leaders, their families, or property, have no place in our society and will not be tolerated,” Gerace stated. He further emphasized the importance of protecting elected officials: “Our elected leaders, at all levels of government, must be permitted to carry out their duties free from threats, vandalism, and other forms of violence.” Gerace concluded by asserting that individuals who jeopardize this freedom through “violent, destructive actions” will be “vigorously prosecuted.”
Conversely, DeFoor’s legal team has asserted that the incident was not politically motivated, stating it had “nothing to do with the specifics of the Vice President.” Instead, his attorneys have highlighted DeFoor’s extensive history of mental illness, including a diagnosis of schizophrenia and prior treatment at psychiatric facilities. DeFoor’s mother, Catherine DeFoor, has previously spoken about her child’s struggles with mental illness, describing how the condition can profoundly affect an individual's life and those attempting to support them. “Unfortunately for our child, it has taken over his life in a way that we can never have imagined,” she remarked.
DeFoor had prior interactions with the legal system before the incident at Vice President Vance’s residence. In 2023, he faced a trespassing charge related to the University of Cincinnati Health Psychiatric Emergency Services. That case was later dismissed after a court found him incompetent to stand trial. The following year, DeFoor was charged with two counts of vandalism for breaking windows at a local business, leading to an order for treatment. His mother was subsequently granted legal guardianship after he was again found incompetent due to mental illness.
Defense attorneys had previously attempted to secure DeFoor’s release from federal custody while the Vance case was pending. They characterized the incident as property damage committed by an individual experiencing an ongoing mental health crisis, rather than an act by an inherently violent person. “These circumstances are only noteworthy for one reason; it just so happens that this occurred at the home of the Vice President,” his attorneys argued. The defense contended that DeFoor used a hammer to damage a home and vehicle while in the midst of a mental health crisis, urging that the conduct be considered within that context.
Reports, citing earlier reporting from the Daily Mail, indicated that DeFoor appeared to have transitioned to female and used the name Julia, with a Facebook profile reportedly created approximately one month before the incident. DeFoor’s attorneys noted that he had previously stabilized while receiving treatment and had begun pursuing a bachelor’s degree before his symptoms resurfaced in December 2025. U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole had earlier denied a request to allow DeFoor to await trial at his parents’ home, keeping him in federal detention. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has stated that DeFoor’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date, with the maximum potential prison sentence for the offenses being 10 years.
