A federal grand jury indicted Michael Lee Tomasi, a 37-year-old resident of Rio Verde, Arizona, on Friday, officials stated.
He faces six charges in total, encompassing three counts of threatening a federal official and three counts of issuing interstate threats, officials stated.
From May 2021 to November 2023, Tomasi, while residing in both Colorado and Arizona, reportedly used a social media platform to articulate his intent to provoke violence.
His threats were directed toward diverse individuals and organizations, including politicians, judges, federal officials, and law enforcement personnel.
The specific allegations against Tomasi are linked to the threats he issued within Arizona, targeting federal law enforcement agents and staff members.
“The threats of violence against public officials alleged in this indictment are abhorrent,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The defendant is specifically charged with threatening to kill FBI agents and other FBI employees just for doing their jobs.”
“In this country, there’s a right way and a wrong way to express your views under the Constitution, and violence or threats of violence is not it,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The men and women of the FBI work tirelessly and selflessly to protect others every day, and we will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable those who make violent threats against them or any of our colleagues in law enforcement.”
If convicted, Tomasi faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of making threats against a federal official and a $250,000 fine for each count of making interstate threats.
The FBI is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona handles the prosecution.