A West Virginia State delegate-elect was arrested Thursday, December 12th, 2024 after alledgedly threatening to kill multiple lawmakers, including Calhoun/Clay/Gilmer Delegate and Speaker of the House, Roger Hanshaw.
Delegate elect Joseph de Soto was arrested after having allegedly made the threats when informed he might be dropped from his GOP caucus position. De Soto, a medical doctor from Gerrardstown which is approximately 100 miles west of Washington, D.C., had been informed of a vote removing him from his position for “undisclosed reasons.” It had been reported that he was being probed for misrepresenting his medical and military information while running for office. This subjected him to a vote of expulsion from the GOP caucus.
According to the criminal complaint, de Soto said, “God called him to kill them.” Listing several lawmakers, including House Speaker Roger Hanshaw.
De Soto won the primary race last spring, facing off with two other Republicans, and then winning the fall general election by default when there was no Democratic candidate in November. He would have began is term in the Legislature in January 2025. Last Wednesday, de Soto switched to the Democratic party. The Secretary of State’s website listed him as a Democrat on Thursday morning. If found guilty, his replacement will be made by the Democratic Party.
Below is the criminal complaint filed in the Berkeley County Magistrate Court by Sgt. Z.L. Nine of the West Virginia State Police.
