Federal authorities have reportedly arrested a man who threatened Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai and his children.
Scott MacFarlane, an investigative reporter for NBC 4, tweeted on Friday that a man was arrested after sending an email to Pai threatening to find and kill his children. The email included the addresses of preschools in Arlington, Virginia, where Pai lives.
NEW: Feds arrest man who they say sent threatening email to FCC chairman, which listed addresses of preschools in Arlington, Va. Chairman has two children and lives in Arlington.
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) June 29, 2018
“I will find and kill your children,” the email allegedly said.
Federal affidavit: Threat against FCC chairman said, “I will find your children and I will kill them” https://t.co/pDEgKjp5wA
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) June 29, 2018
According to a Department of Justice press release, Markara Man was “angry” that Pai repealed net neutrality and wanted to “scare” him. One email from the 33-year-old Californian included a framed photograph of Pai’s family.
“The first email accused Chairman Pai of being responsible for a child who allegedly had committed suicide because of the repeal of net neutrality regulations,” the release said. “The second email listed three locations in or around Arlington, and threatened to kill the Chairman’s family members. The third email had no message in its body, but included an image depicting Chairman Pai and, in the foreground and slightly out of focus, a framed photograph of Chairman Pai and his family.”
A 33-year-old California man has been arrested on charges of threatening to kill the family of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. pic.twitter.com/3ZxayMr3HN
— Katie Watson (@kathrynw5) June 29, 2018
“Man is charged with a threatening to murder a member of the immediate family of a U.S. official with the intent to intimidate or interfere with such official while engaged in the performance of official duties, or with the intent to retaliate against such official on account of the performance of official duties,” the DOJ explained.
Protesters showed up at Pai’s home in November after the FCC chairman rejected net neutrality. Some protesters had signs with his children’s names on them insisting that their father is a “murderer.” (RELATED: Activists Tell FCC Chairman’s Kids Their Father Is An Evil Murderer)
In December, a bomb threat cut short Pai’s speech during a hearing on net neutrality. (RELATED: Security Cuts FCC Chair Ajit Pai’s Speech Short For Bomb Threat)