TARRANT COUNTY, Texas - A Fort Worth man is behind bars after investigators say he posted a threat on social media targeting a Tarrant County criminal court judge, prompting a swift law enforcement response.
According to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, investigators were notified on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, of an online threat directed at Criminal Court Judge Charles Vanover. Detectives with the sheriff’s Criminal Investigations and Intelligence divisions moved quickly to identify the person believed responsible for the post.
Deputies from the Warrants Division were dispatched to a residence in north Fort Worth, where the suspect was located and taken into custody without incident.
The suspect, 31-year-old Cesar Viscaya-Raudales, was charged with making a terroristic threat against a peace officer or judge, a third-degree felony. Investigators also confirmed Viscaya-Raudales had an active warrant from North Richland Hills related to a harassment charge.
“Threatening our judges is unacceptable and you will go to jail,” said Bill Waybourn. “There is nowhere you can hide that we won’t find you when you make threats toward a public official.”
"Thank you to hard work by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies," said Judge Vanover in a social media post.
Viscaya-Raudales is being held in the Tarrant County Jail with bond set at $1.5 million. The investigation remains ongoing.
