Virginia Man Detained, Charged with Sending Alleged Death Threats to Grenell
A Virginia man has been arrested and charged with threatening to kill former Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who is chairman of the Trump Kennedy Center, according to a press release.
In a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, it was revealed that Scott Allen Bolger, 33, had been “criminally charged with transmitting threats in interstate commerce and making false statements.”
Through the use of Google Voice, on Dec. 23, Bolger sent “a message to a federal employee” threatening to “kill the employee,” according to court documents.
Bolger also “falsely identified himself as Brian Black” to “federal task force agents” who arrived at his home to question him, according to the press release.
According to the press release:
According to court documents, on Dec. 23, Scott Allen Bolger, 33, allegedly used Google Voice, which allows a user to text others using a phone number other than their primary phone number, to send a message to a federal employee. In the message, Bolger allegedly threatened to kill the employee.
Although the federal employee was not named in the press release, Department of Justice (DOJ) officials “identified Grenell” as the employee to whom Bolger sent a message, according to Fox News.
DOJ officials told the outlet that while a federal judge’s decision to keep Bolger “in pretrial detention is somewhat rare,” they added that it was a “victory for the DOJ.”
“Threats of violence are serious crimes with serious consequences,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan said in a statement. “Those who target federal employees should know that we will investigate and prosecute these violations to the fullest extent of the law. »
Bolger faces “five years in prison” if convicted.
