Arizona man arrested for threatening to kill FBI agents had guns and over 5K rounds of ammo in stock
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
RIO VERDE, ARIZONA: Michael Lee Tomasi, a 37-year-old Arizona man, was arrested with a cache of weapons and over 5,000 rounds of ammunition after being charged with threatening to kill FBI agents.
According to recently unsealed court documents, the FBI discovered an AR-15-style rifle, six loaded magazines, and body armor during Tomasi's arrest at his home in Rio Verde.
Michael Tomasi's arrest tied to a pattern of threats against federal officials
Tomasi's arrest on December 15 followed a grand jury indictment on three counts of threats against a federal official and three counts of making interstate threats. The charges stem from threatening posts allegedly made by Tomasi on a social media platform, where he expressed a desire to incite violence and harm elected officials, a judge, federal officials, and law enforcement officers.
The court documents revealed that the posts, spanning from May 2021 through November 2023, included explicit threats against FBI agents, with one post stating, "Shoot the FBI first, ask questions later." Tomasi also reportedly posted about torturing a former federal official, subjecting a U.S. congresswoman to "the horror of a violent rape," and executing a US congressman, as per NBC.
During an interview with FBI agents after his arrest, Tomasi admitted to being the user behind the threatening posts. He attributed his behavior to heavy drinking around the time of the posts and provided a detailed history of alcohol abuse. Tomasi also mentioned being removed from other social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
Michael Tomasi pleads not guilty
Despite pleading not guilty to all charges, Tomasi remains in custody without bail, with his trial scheduled to commence on February 6. The arrest came as a result of a tip from a nonprofit group monitoring extremist websites, which reported the threats targeting law enforcement and the willingness to use weapons, initiating law enforcement involvement.
Tomasi's case is part of a concerning trend of threats against public officials and political figures across the country.
Michael Shapiro's arrest echoes recent threats against public officials
It parallels recent incidents, such as the arrest of a Florida man Michael Shapiro threatening Rep. Eric Swalwell and his children. Residing in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, Shapiro allegedly left multiple threatening voicemail messages at a congressional office in Washington, DC, as stated in a release by the US Attorney's Office.
According to the criminal complaint, these calls, where Shapiro made threats such as "come after you and kill you" and "come and kill your children," originated from his home on December 19, 2023. The complaint also notes that Shapiro had previously pleaded guilty in federal court in 2019 for making threatening communications to another victim.
