A St. Simons Island, Ga., man has been indicted in U.S. District Court on federal charges for allegedly threatening to blow up an IRS office in New York.
Benjamin Stasko, 32, is charged with Willful Threat to Kill Using Firearms or Explosives, and Interstate Transmission of a Threat to Injure, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a possible sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Threats against the safety and security of our nation’s government offices and their personnel are deadly serious, and our office will work with our law enforcement partners to find and prevent such perpetrators from carrying out their threats,” said U.S. Attorney Christine.
A threat alleging that a pipe bomb had been planted in the Ted Weiss Federal Building in New York was found July 6, posted in a comment on a federal agency’s website and directed toward the Internal Revenue Service. Federal protective police officers with bomb sniffing dogs and officers from the New York Police Department searched the facility and found no explosives. Investigators later located and arrested Stasko in St. Simons.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, the New York Police Department and the Brunswick Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Bearden.
Lori Keller
August 10, 2020 at 9:09 pm
Its funny how this person who is basically a regular’ individual gets tracked down, arrested, and charged for threatening and destroying a federal gov bld and yet celebrities threaten the lives of our president and his family and they receive nothing but maybe some extra media coverage. Disgusting – God help us all!
Juanita Woodson
August 11, 2020 at 7:51 am
I Agree with you 100%!!! It’s Pathetic!!! There is seriously something wrong with this picture. They threaten the the President and Absolutely Nothing is done. But they tracked down this guy In Georgia. Cities are being burned down, buildings and cars, but someone’s words got their Attention!!🤔🤔🤔
Debra Renee Miller
August 11, 2020 at 2:37 pm
He should face charges, so should everyone that has threatened our President and any level of Law Enforcement!
We dont, pick and choose, which crimes to prosecute in America! Justice for ALL!