Two Men Plead Guilty for Online Threats Against Arizona Public Officials
Michael Lee Tomasi, 37, from Rio Verde, Arizona, pleaded guilty on August 13th to threatening Arizona federal officials, according to a DOJ press release. Tomasi lived in both Colorado and Arizona between May 2021 and November 2023. During this time, Tomasi admits to expressing desires to incite violence against various public individuals and groups, including a state court judge, a member of Congress, a city district attorney and other federal officials and law enforcement officers.
On Aug. 26, 2023, Tomasi took to his social media accounts to threaten and incite the killing of FBI agents to intimidate, impede, and interfere with the performance of the FBI agents’ official duties, as stated by the press release. Tomasi admits to posting, “Shoot the FBI first and ask questions later. . . . Any FBI have a problem with that come to my house and see what happens. Shoot before they even pull their guns out of their trunk and you shoot to kill.”
Tomasi’s threats were not empty, authorities claim.
Tomasi “was prepared to carry out his threats: when arrested, he had a loaded handgun in his vehicle, as well as other firearms and body armor in his home,” U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino, District of Arizona, stated in the DOJ press release.
And Tomasi wasn’t the only man recently convicted for threatening Arizona election officials. Brian Jerry Ogstad, 60, from Cullman, Alabama, pleaded guilty on July 25 to sending death threats in messages to election workers with Maricopa County Elections in Phoenix, according to another DOJ press release. In August 2022, during Arizona’s primary elections for federal and state officeholders, Ogstad unleashed a barrage of death threats and insults via direct messages to an Instagram account maintained by Maricopa County Elections.
On Aug. 3, 2022, Ogstad sent the following messages, as detailed in the press release:
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- “You did it! Now you are … dead. You will all be executed for your crimes.”
- “… you! You are caught! They have it all. You … are dead.”
- “You are lying, cheating. . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are … stupid if you think your lives are safe.”
On Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad messaged:
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- “you people are so ducking stupid. Everyone knows you are lots…, cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang…!”
Ogstad pleaded guilty to one count of making a threatening interstate communication, according to prosecutors.
The DOJ is making it clear they are serious about protecting the safety of elected officials. “The Justice Department will hold to account anyone who targets public servants with illegal threats of violence,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, according to the press release.
Tomasi and Ogstad have sentencing hearings scheduled for October and could receive up to ten years for Tomasi and up to five years for Ogstad.
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