A South Carolina man accused of constructing a sequence of racist demise threats on-line to a New York reporter has been arrested.
Austin Suman, 35, of Myrtle Beach, has been charged with willfully making a risk involving explosives and interstate stalking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York mentioned.
Suman faces a most of 20 years in jail.
It was not instantly clear Friday afternoon if Suman had retained an lawyer.
Suman despatched demise threats Nov. 8 to the reporter by way of Facebook and electronic mail and used a racial slur and derogatory language, in keeping with a prison grievance unsealed Friday.
“I’ll finish you and your loved ones,” he warned the reported, in accordance prosecutors.
Suman’s anger stemmed from an article the reporter wrote about him in February 2019 about allegations of him threatening a roommate with a gun.
The grievance mentioned that in his messages to the reporter he acknowledged that “I’ve extra weapons than ever” and that “I’m full auto now.”
Prosecutors mentioned threats that neutralizing threats towards the press are a precedence.
“To any particular person who dares to cross the road and make hate-based threats towards members of our press: You will probably be discovered, and you may be held accountable on your actions,” mentioned Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.