Man charged with making online threats to kill election officials in Colorado and Arizona

DURANGO, Colo. (AP) — A 45-year-old Colorado man was charged Monday with making numerous online threats to kill election officials and others in Colorado and Arizona.

Teak Ty Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, was arrested Friday and made an initial appearance in court on Monday in Durango on a charge of transmitting interstate threats. A conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

He remains in custody pending a detention hearing on Wednesday, a spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“We allege that the defendant made detailed death threats against election officials, judges, and law enforcement officers,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement. Their names were redacted from court records.

In 2021 and 2022, online accounts on the Rumble and Gab forums that investigators said belonged to Brockbank posted the threats including to shoot or hang various officials.

In August 2022, an account believed to belong to Brockbank posted on Rumble: “So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all Are going to do!!! It is time.”

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«RELATED COVERAGE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> RELATED COVERAGE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Colorado GOP chair ousted in a contentious vote that he dismisses as a ‘sham’ </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Kroger and Albertsons defend merger plan in federal court against US regulators’ objections </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Deion