OAN Staff Jenna Lee
4:34 PM – Friday, May 15, 2026
Former FBI Director James Comey has expanded his legal team by hiring Joseph Zeszotarski Jr., a veteran Raleigh-based attorney with more than 30 years of state and federal trial experience, to help contest a recent federal indictment.
The charges, filed in late April 2026, stem from a May 15, 2025, Instagram post featuring a photo of seashells arranged on a North Carolina beach to spell out the numbers “86 47.” Many Americans and federal prosecutors contend that the image constitutes a coded death threat against President Donald Trump.
Under this interpretation, “47” references Trump’s status as the 47th president, while “86” — a slang term generally meaning to eliminate or “get rid” of something — is being construed by the government with a much more aggressive, violent connotation.
Following the allegations, Comey has denied any wrongdoing and claims that the post was entirely non-violent. According to the former FBI director, he allegedly noticed the seashell formation during a beach walk, assumed it carried a standard political message, and decided to post it. However, he subsequently deleted the post the same day once he received heavy backlash.
Meanwhile, this case marks the second time the Justice Department under the Trump administration has indicted Comey, following a separate case that was dismissed by a Bill Clinton-appointed federal judge in late 2025. Despite the renewed legal pressure, Comey has publicly maintained his innocence, asserting in a recent video statement that he remains “unafraid.”
“I’m not afraid. I won’t talk about a case that’s pending, but I will not stop talking about the threats that this administration poses to the rule of law,” said Comey, echoing his statements after his second indictment.
A federal judge has officially scheduled Comey’s trial to begin on July 15th. This setting establishes a timeline for the high-profile legal battle, giving Comey’s newly expanded defense team just under two months to prepare their case against the indictment.
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