A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty to federal charges after attacking Vice President JD Vance’s home with a hammer in January, causing $28,000 in damage to federally owned security equipment and historic windows while Secret Service agents watched the midnight assault unfold.

Midnight Assault on Protected Residence

William D. DeFoor, 26, admitted in federal court to committing acts of physical violence against government property and causing willful injury to United States property. Secret Service agents observed DeFoor running along the front fence of the protected residence around midnight on January 5, 2026. Vance and his family had returned to Washington, D.C., following a weekend visit to Cincinnati and were not present during the attack.

DeFoor crossed the property line at the driveway, where an unmarked federal law enforcement vehicle blocked access. He repeatedly struck the driver’s side window with a hammer, ignoring verbal commands from agents to stop and drop the weapon. DeFoor then turned his attention to large historic glass windows at the front of the house, smashing the panels and damaging enhanced security hardware valued at approximately $28,000.

Federal Prosecution and Mental Health Claims

U.S. Attorney Dominick Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio announced the guilty plea, stating that acts of violence directed against political leaders, their families, or property will not be tolerated. The charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal grand jury indicted DeFoor in January following the incident.

DeFoor’s attorney Paul Laufman maintained the crime was not politically motivated, describing it as purely a mental health issue. DeFoor’s mother Catherine told reporters her son was a straight-A student who received a full scholarship to study music but struggled with psychological problems. Court records reveal DeFoor was involved in three mental health court cases in 2024, with courts twice determining he had a mental illness and ordering forced medication treatment in one case.

Protection of Government Officials

Secret Service agents and Cincinnati police officers detained DeFoor after he dropped the hammer and attempted to flee on foot. Gerace emphasized that elected leaders at all levels of government must be permitted to carry out their duties free from threats, vandalism, and violence. Vance, a former Ohio senator, purchased the East Walnut Hills home for $1.4 million in 2018. His official residence as Vice President is the mansion at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., located approximately 2.5 miles from the White House. Federal prosecutors have pledged vigorous prosecution of perpetrators who put that freedom at risk through violent, destructive actions.