ORLANDO, Fla. (VINnews) — A 26-year-old Ohio man has been arrested and charged in federal court after allegedly sending a graphic email threatening to murder U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., and the congressman’s entire family, federal prosecutors announced.
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Alex Justin Miller of Columbus was charged with interstate transmission of a threat to injure, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in federal prison.
The email was sent at 9:02 a.m. on Aug. 18, the day of Florida’s Republican primary, in which Fine won nomination for another term. At the time, Fine was attending a meeting in Flagler County while family members were at their residence in Brevard County, court records show.
The message’s subject line read, “Can’t wait to snipe your head off your shoulders!! :)”
According to the criminal complaint, the body of the email stated in part: “I cannot wait to take a trip to you lovely home and light the whole place on fire and murder you and your entire family in the middle of the night while you sleep. I hope you disgusting Nazi f***s sleep with one eye open for the rest of your life because I will NEVER stop until your head is hanging from the rooftops of the White House. You deserve 10000% to be beheaded and have your body paraded through the streets. DEATH TO [Fine] AND DEATH TO DONALD TRUMP!!!”
Fine, who is Jewish and has been a vocal critic of antisemitism, identified himself as the recipient. He said the threat was the fourth that has led to an arrest in the past 10 years.
“I unfortunately have learned what the difference is between a nasty message and a death threat, and this clearly was a death threat,” Fine told Fox News.
In a statement, Fine thanked the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, the U.S. Secret Service, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and federal prosecutors “for taking immediate action and tracking down and arresting the perpetrator within 36 hours.”
“If they think this will make me afraid, they are wrong,” Fine said. “There is no place in our political system for this.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police and U.S. Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones.
A criminal complaint is a formal charge. Miller is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Looks like another antifa terrorist.
Looks like a typical school shooter type.
The swift action by law enforcement here is a testament to what is possible when protecting public figures and their families. There is a clear line between political disagreement and threats of violence. That line must be enforced without exception. When a public servant and his family are targeted with such vile antisemitic hatred, it is an attack on the entire social fabric. We must protect our leaders, and we must protect our families.