Cincinnati police and U.S. Secret Service agents apprehended a man on Jan. 5 after Vice President JD Vance’s East Walnut Hills home was damaged.
William DeFoor, 26, of Hyde Park, is charged with criminal damaging, obstructing official business, criminal trespass and felony vandalism.
Later in the day Jan. 5, federal officials announced additional charges against DeFoor, saying he caused more than $28,000 in damages to the windows at Vance’s home.
Federal agents detained the man shortly after midnight, the Secret Service said in a statement. DeFoor is accused of breaking windows at Vance’s home.
He is also accused of damaging a vehicle, according to the arrest report.
The Secret Service called for Cincinnati police at 12:15 a.m. after seeing someone “running eastbound,” a dispatcher told Enquirer media partner Fox19.
The house was unoccupied at the time, according to the statement. Vance and his family weren’t in Ohio.
“The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating with the Cincinnati Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office as charging decisions are reviewed,” the statement reads.
Prior vandalism and trespassing charges
DeFoor faced a vandalism charge in 2024 after windows at a business in Hyde Park were broken, according to court records. That case was referred to a mental health docket, and DeFoor was granted “treatment in lieu of conviction.” That treatment was still ongoing, according to court documents.
In 2023, he was charged with trespassing at the UC Health psychiatric emergency services. In that case, he was found incompetent to stand trial and the case was referred to Hamilton County Probate Court.
According to DeFoor’s arrest records, investigators are asking for a high bond due to these prior issues.
JD Vance and his family were visiting Cincinnati home before incident
A spokesperson for Vance confirmed to USA TODAY that the vice president and his family visited Ohio over the weekend, but had left before the property damage occurred.
In a statement on social media, Vance said he and his family had returned to Washington, D.C. by the time of the alleged vandalism.
“As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows,” Vance said. “I’m grateful to the secret service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly.”
Roads were closed around the home for several days leading up to and following New Year’s Day. Those closures lasted until Sunday afternoon, according to Cincinnati officials. The closures are usually put in place when the vice president or his family is at the residence.
The Vances’ home on a busy stretch of road in East Walnut Hills is a 157-year-old white two-story house. Vance bought the house for $1.4 million in 2018, according to Hamilton County property records.
The Enquirer will update this developing story. USA Today contributed
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 26-year-old man faces charges after JD Vance’s Cincinnati home damaged
Reporting by Quinlan Bentley and Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
