Oklahoma man indicted after making threatening posts online
by: K. Querry-Thompson, Jessica Bruno
Posted: Apr 13, 2021 / 08:08 AM CDT / Updated: Apr 13, 2021 / 08:08 AM CDT
kfor.com
MOORE, Okla. ( KFOR) – An Oklahoma man has been indicted after he allegedly made threatening posts online.
According to an FBI affidavit, on Jan. 8, the FBI received several posts from both the Oklahoma City Police Department and Moore Police Department that were made on the social media site Parler by Michael Brandon Houck from Moore, who goes by Brad.
One of the posts reads, “You had better be ready patriots! It is go time very soon. We must attack all central communities to big cities are democratic cities. Fiber optics telecom bridges supply routes we can starve those MF* to death. The people are ready its time.”
Another post reads in part, “Load your magazines gather your things it’s time to go and take out the sorry B*.”
On January 6, the day of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Houck wrote on Parler, “All of these criminals must be taken out by the people and we should start with their families. Start with what is most important to them…”
Another post, threatening Sen. Mitch McConnell, who was then the Senate Majority Leader, reads “hey mitch, how are your grandkids doing?”
He then wrote, “Hey justice Roberts, we are coming for you and your illegally adopted kids!! finished! they will get to watch you hang.”
Once a search warrant for Houck’s Parler account was served, authorities allegedly discovered even more threats.
One of those threats was made against Oklahoma Senator James Lankford on January 7. It reads, according to the documents, “James Lankford from Oklahoma is a sorry m**f and will pay for his treasonous lack of action. Better keep your family close James.”
Houck also wrote on January 6, “They’ve only got two choices we can shoot them or the government can hang them. Oh wait there’s a third choice, you can send them to my house and I will Waterboard them for the next five years, then kill them.”
In a threat made against former President George W. Bush, Houck wrote, “GWB is a dead man… we will find you georgie boy.”
In a threat made against Sen. Chuck Schumer, who was then the Senate Minority Leader, Houck wrote “F*** you Shumer we are going to come find you and have a little fun with you but make no mistake about it you’re the devil and we are going to kill you.”
He also wrote, “Time to go after their families! We have to get dirty and I mean now! Start with the kids then the wives eliminate their families and they will give up and talk.”
He also threatened Senator Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, writing, “We are going to find you and kill your a**! You are full of chinese money.”
During a search of Houck’s home on January 11, according to court documents, FBI agents found 24 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition of various calibers, $4,800 in cash and several personal electronic devices.
Now, it seems Houck has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 10 counts.
According to court documents, Houck is charged with 10 counts of communicating a threat.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Timothy J. Downing, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, released the following statement:
“The First Amendment provides a right for angry or upset citizens to voice their concerns within certain confines. The First Amendment, however, does not give people the right to threaten others. Threats transmitted in interstate commerce to kidnap or injure the person of another can rise to being a federal crime. Even when citizens do not carry out their threats, the transmission of threats impacts and victimizes the lives of others. I am thankful for the vigilance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and others to identify and investigate criminal threats, and to intervene when appropriate to keep our communities safe.” |
