Arizona Man Arrested for Threats Against Federal Officials

Michael Lee Tomasi, 37, was arrested on Friday following a grand jury indictment on charges of making threats against federal officials. Tomasi faces three counts of threats against a federal official and three counts of making interstate threats.

Court documents reveal that from May 2021 to November 2023, Tomasi, residing in Colorado and Arizona during this period, utilized a social media platform to express a desire to incite violence and make threats against various individuals and groups. The targets of his threats included elected officials, a judge, and federal officials and law enforcement officers. The charges specifically relate to threats made in Arizona against federal law enforcement agents and employees.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland commented on the matter, stating, "The threats of violence against public officials alleged in this indictment are abhorrent. The defendant is specifically charged with threatening to kill FBI agents and other FBI employees just for doing their jobs."

FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the importance of expressing views within the bounds of the law, stating, "In this country, there’s a right way and a wrong way to express your views under the Constitution, and violence or threats of violence is not it."

U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona underscored the severity of the charges, stating, "Threats against law enforcement personnel like those alleged in this indictment are not just polemics, they are illegal under federal law and corrosive to civic life and dialogue."

If convicted, Tomasi could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of making threats against a federal official. Additionally, he could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of making interstate threats. The FBI is leading the investigation, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona handling the prosecution.