CHARLESTON, WV—United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Steven Anthony Major, 49, of Barboursville, West Virginia, was arrested on Friday, March 21, 2014 on a federal criminal complaint alleging that he made violent threats against United States Senator Joe Manchin and his family members.
According to the complaint, which was unsealed today, Major made multiple calls to the Charleston, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. offices of Senator Manchin. During the calls, Major identified himself and made violent threats targeting Senator Manchin and his family members.
Major’s initial appearance on the arrest is scheduled for 2 p.m. in front of Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley, Fifth Floor, Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, Charleston, West Virginia. Major faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is in charge of the prosecution.
Note: The charge contained in the complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Showing posts with label threats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label threats. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Former Pilot Pleads Guilty to Threatening Republic Airlines CEO
KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former Republic Airlines pilot pleaded guilty in federal court today to threatening the company’s CEO.
Matthew Richard Walker, 37, of Faribault, Minnesota, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges him with explicitly threatening to torture and kill the CEO of Republic Airlines and his family.
By pleading guilty today, Walker admitted that he carried and delivered threats on multiple occasions while employed by the airline. On August 17, 2012, a Republic Airways employee discovered a threatening letter in the cockpit of an aircraft while it was parked at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. Four identical letters were later discovered on aircraft parked at Reagan International Airport, in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at Kansas City International Airport (KCI), as well as aboard an aircraft en route from Reagan National Airport to Indianapolis International Airport. A fifth identical letter was also discovered in the crew room at KCI.
According to the plea agreement, Walker assured interviewing agents he had no interaction with co-workers regarding the letters; he acted completely alone both in writing and placing the letters.
Under federal statutes, Walker is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Deputy U.S. Attorney Gene Porter. It was investigated by the FBI.
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available online at http://www.justice.gov/usao/mow/index.html.
Matthew Richard Walker, 37, of Faribault, Minnesota, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges him with explicitly threatening to torture and kill the CEO of Republic Airlines and his family.
By pleading guilty today, Walker admitted that he carried and delivered threats on multiple occasions while employed by the airline. On August 17, 2012, a Republic Airways employee discovered a threatening letter in the cockpit of an aircraft while it was parked at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. Four identical letters were later discovered on aircraft parked at Reagan International Airport, in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at Kansas City International Airport (KCI), as well as aboard an aircraft en route from Reagan National Airport to Indianapolis International Airport. A fifth identical letter was also discovered in the crew room at KCI.
According to the plea agreement, Walker assured interviewing agents he had no interaction with co-workers regarding the letters; he acted completely alone both in writing and placing the letters.
Under federal statutes, Walker is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Deputy U.S. Attorney Gene Porter. It was investigated by the FBI.
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available online at http://www.justice.gov/usao/mow/index.html.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
N.J. Woman Sues Home Developer Over 'Aggressive, Hostile' Neighbor
When Cyndee Phoenix, 53, bought a home in October, she thought she found the perfect neighborhood in a planned real estate development in Mays Landing, N.J., about 19 miles west of Atlantic City. But she says her life has been far short of perfect thanks to a cantankerous neighbor.
And now Phoenix is claiming the developer who sold her the unit "knowingly concealed" that a "dangerous individual" would be her future neighbor, which she alleges is material misrepresentation and fraud, according to the lawsuit filed last week in Atlantic County Superior Court of New Jersey.
"At the time Ms. Phoenix expressed interest in one of the units, the defendant knew there was a neighbor directly across the street who, for lack of better words, was a tremendous thorn in the side of Lennar," said her attorney, Brett Datto.
Lennar Corp., a national homebuilder headquartered in Miami, is the seller of Phoenix's new home and the target of her lawsuit. Phoenix says Lennar should have informed her about her neighbor across the street, who is named in the lawsuit.
"We contend Lennar omitted material information so that Ms. Phoenix would purchase the home," said Datto. "Omission of a material fact is an element of fraud. You can commit fraud under most jurisdictions by omitting material information."
Phoenix, a community outreach director for a casino, says the neighbor has directed "increasingly harassing" behavior at her family, including her mother and sister. Those incidents allegedly include: death threats to her sister, "snide and racist" comments, spitting in the direction of her family members, and calling the police on her guests.
"He's made snide and racist comments, like, 'Go back to Atlantic City where you belong,' which is a more urban area," Datto said. "He blares his music loudly, takes pictures of my client's guests. He's a problem person."
Lennar Corp. did not respond to requests for comment.
On Nov. 12, just five days after Phoenix and her family moved into the home, she and her sister filed complaints for harassment and stalking against the neighbor, says her attorney.
Phoenix hired a security guard on the day the complaints were filed in fear of retaliation, the lawsuit says.
The neighbor "started to confront the hired security guard by staring at him for long periods of time, calling the police on the security guard and even following the security guard for 15 miles on the Garden State Parkway when he left [Phoenix's] property to go home," according to the lawsuit.
Datto says the problem may have been sparked even before Phoenix bought the home.
In a visit to the property when Phoenix was trying to decide whether to buy the home, the neighbor approached the sales representative to talk about "the lack of services, like landscaping of his yard," the lawsuit states.
The sales rep "implied that [the neighbor] was no longer eligible for services as a result of the time that had passed since his house was purchased," the lawsuit states.
Lennar's general counsel then sent a letter to the neighbor's wife, who owns the home, on Oct. 1, warning about his behavior.
And now Phoenix is claiming the developer who sold her the unit "knowingly concealed" that a "dangerous individual" would be her future neighbor, which she alleges is material misrepresentation and fraud, according to the lawsuit filed last week in Atlantic County Superior Court of New Jersey.
"At the time Ms. Phoenix expressed interest in one of the units, the defendant knew there was a neighbor directly across the street who, for lack of better words, was a tremendous thorn in the side of Lennar," said her attorney, Brett Datto.
Lennar Corp., a national homebuilder headquartered in Miami, is the seller of Phoenix's new home and the target of her lawsuit. Phoenix says Lennar should have informed her about her neighbor across the street, who is named in the lawsuit.
"We contend Lennar omitted material information so that Ms. Phoenix would purchase the home," said Datto. "Omission of a material fact is an element of fraud. You can commit fraud under most jurisdictions by omitting material information."
Phoenix, a community outreach director for a casino, says the neighbor has directed "increasingly harassing" behavior at her family, including her mother and sister. Those incidents allegedly include: death threats to her sister, "snide and racist" comments, spitting in the direction of her family members, and calling the police on her guests.
"He's made snide and racist comments, like, 'Go back to Atlantic City where you belong,' which is a more urban area," Datto said. "He blares his music loudly, takes pictures of my client's guests. He's a problem person."
Lennar Corp. did not respond to requests for comment.
On Nov. 12, just five days after Phoenix and her family moved into the home, she and her sister filed complaints for harassment and stalking against the neighbor, says her attorney.
Phoenix hired a security guard on the day the complaints were filed in fear of retaliation, the lawsuit says.
The neighbor "started to confront the hired security guard by staring at him for long periods of time, calling the police on the security guard and even following the security guard for 15 miles on the Garden State Parkway when he left [Phoenix's] property to go home," according to the lawsuit.
Datto says the problem may have been sparked even before Phoenix bought the home.
In a visit to the property when Phoenix was trying to decide whether to buy the home, the neighbor approached the sales representative to talk about "the lack of services, like landscaping of his yard," the lawsuit states.
The sales rep "implied that [the neighbor] was no longer eligible for services as a result of the time that had passed since his house was purchased," the lawsuit states.
Lennar's general counsel then sent a letter to the neighbor's wife, who owns the home, on Oct. 1, warning about his behavior.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Utah Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening CEO of Anti-Doping Agency
DENVER—Robert Hutchins, age 60, of Sandy, Utah, pled guilty yesterday before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Marcia S. Krieger to interstate communications involving a threat, U.S. Attorney John Walsh and FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle announced. Hutchins appeared at the sentencing hearing free on bond. Hutchins is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2014. He was originally indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on July 10, 2013.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, in 2012, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) had been investigating allegations that cyclist Lance Armstrong had achieved his prodigious record by cheating by “doping” and using drugs and other improper means to win. As the investigation heated up in the summer of 2012, Chief Executive Officer of USADA Travis Tygart received a barrage of negative public comment, mostly via e-mails, about USADA’s investigation. In August 2012, it was anticipated that USADA would announce its findings, including that Lance Armstrong would banned from cycling for life. On August 23, 2012, Lance Armstrong released a press statement that he would not challenge USADA’s findings. The negative e-mails intensified. On August 24, 2012, USADA, as predicted, made the announcement that Lance Armstrong would be banned from cycling for life and disqualified of all his competitive results from August 1, 1998 through August 24, 2012. This disqualification included being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.
Among the members of the public who were angry over USADA’s methods and conclusions was the defendant, Mr. Hutchins. Beginning in July 2012, Mr. Hutchins sent two e-mails USADA voicing his displeasure. Those e-mails, while scathing in tone and full of invective, were not threatening.
On the evening of August 23, 2012, Mr. Hutchins crossed the line and made threats to Travis Tygart. The e-mail was sent to one of USADA’s e-mail addresses with the subject line “Travis Tygert [sic] Hope you have body guards and bullet proof vest.” The e-mail read as follows:
Travis Tygert [sic], Hope you have body guards and bullet proof vest, your [sic] a dead man mother f@%&*#. You just don’t know what you’ve done!!!
You’re a** is f@%&*#.
The e-mail was traced to Mr. Hutchins in Sandy, Utah. As a result of the threatening e-mail sent on August 23, 2012, Mr. Travis Tygart hired private security for himself and his family and moved his family to a secure location while the FBI investigated the source of the threat.
Hutchins faces not more than five years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.
In an unrelated case, Gerrit Kuechle Keats, a Florida doctor, pled guilty on October 7, 2013, to sending threatening communications over the Internet to Mr. Tygart for similar reasons. Keats is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson on January 23, 2014.
This case was investigated by the FBI.
The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Spencer.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, in 2012, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) had been investigating allegations that cyclist Lance Armstrong had achieved his prodigious record by cheating by “doping” and using drugs and other improper means to win. As the investigation heated up in the summer of 2012, Chief Executive Officer of USADA Travis Tygart received a barrage of negative public comment, mostly via e-mails, about USADA’s investigation. In August 2012, it was anticipated that USADA would announce its findings, including that Lance Armstrong would banned from cycling for life. On August 23, 2012, Lance Armstrong released a press statement that he would not challenge USADA’s findings. The negative e-mails intensified. On August 24, 2012, USADA, as predicted, made the announcement that Lance Armstrong would be banned from cycling for life and disqualified of all his competitive results from August 1, 1998 through August 24, 2012. This disqualification included being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.
Among the members of the public who were angry over USADA’s methods and conclusions was the defendant, Mr. Hutchins. Beginning in July 2012, Mr. Hutchins sent two e-mails USADA voicing his displeasure. Those e-mails, while scathing in tone and full of invective, were not threatening.
On the evening of August 23, 2012, Mr. Hutchins crossed the line and made threats to Travis Tygart. The e-mail was sent to one of USADA’s e-mail addresses with the subject line “Travis Tygert [sic] Hope you have body guards and bullet proof vest.” The e-mail read as follows:
Travis Tygert [sic], Hope you have body guards and bullet proof vest, your [sic] a dead man mother f@%&*#. You just don’t know what you’ve done!!!
You’re a** is f@%&*#.
The e-mail was traced to Mr. Hutchins in Sandy, Utah. As a result of the threatening e-mail sent on August 23, 2012, Mr. Travis Tygart hired private security for himself and his family and moved his family to a secure location while the FBI investigated the source of the threat.
Hutchins faces not more than five years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.
In an unrelated case, Gerrit Kuechle Keats, a Florida doctor, pled guilty on October 7, 2013, to sending threatening communications over the Internet to Mr. Tygart for similar reasons. Keats is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson on January 23, 2014.
This case was investigated by the FBI.
The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Spencer.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Man Indicted on Transmitting Threats in Interstate Commerce Charge
Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that Keith Bowers, age 59, of Jessieville, Arkansas, was arrested today by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Arkansas based on an indictment returned in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia on September 13, 2013, charging him with transmitting threats in interstate commerce.
The indictment alleges that Mr. Bowers made a threatening telephone call on August 16, 2012, from Texas to Carmike Cinemas' headquarters in Columbus, Georgia. The indictment further alleges that this communication contained a threat to detonate an explosive device during a movie at one of Carmike' s movie theaters.
If convicted, Mr. Bowers faces a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.00.
The indictment is only an allegation and the accused is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of lnvestigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melvin E. Hyde, Jr.
Inquiries regarding this case should be directed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2602.
The indictment alleges that Mr. Bowers made a threatening telephone call on August 16, 2012, from Texas to Carmike Cinemas' headquarters in Columbus, Georgia. The indictment further alleges that this communication contained a threat to detonate an explosive device during a movie at one of Carmike' s movie theaters.
If convicted, Mr. Bowers faces a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.00.
The indictment is only an allegation and the accused is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of lnvestigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melvin E. Hyde, Jr.
Inquiries regarding this case should be directed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2602.
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