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.”

Investigators also received a warrant to search his phone and found threatening text messages, court records said.

Brockbank did not immediately reply to a text message or an email from The Associated Press on Monday seeking comment. There was no attorney listed for him in court records who might speak on his behalf.

The case is brought as part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which began in June 2021 to address threats against election workers and make sure they are able to do their jobs free from intimidation.