Dillingham man indicted for threats against Florida sheriff who denounced pro-Nazi messaging
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - An Alaskan man who allegedly sent threatening emails and posted messages online depicting harm against a Florida sheriff who denounced anti-Semitism and pro-Nazi messaging was indicted on federal cyberstalking charges.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced in a release Tuesday that 31-year-old Dillingham resident Joshua Wahl was charged with one count of cyberstalking and four counts of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce for online threats against Michael Chitwood, the Volusia County sheriff in Florida. If found guilty, Wahl could face up to 25 years in prison.
Department of Justice authorities say Wahl sent a threatening email to Chitwood on March 31, 2023, following a news conference where Chitwood publicly denounced anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi messages.
Authorities said Wahl’s email included links to videos showing someone “using a laser to burn a hole through a photograph” of Chitwood’s face and “holding explosives in front of another photograph” of Chitwood.
The email from Wahl also stated that he was “armed with lasers and explosives.”
In April 2023, authorities said posts surfaced online on the notorious extremist website “4chan” from Wahl that included direct threats to kill or harm the sheriff.
Wahl is also facing murder charges in a separate homicide investigation involving the shooting deaths of two Dillingham residents last month.
The release said that Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Beausang is prosecuting the case.
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