Southwestern Colorado man charged with threatening election officials and other government employees in online posts
A 45-year-old resident of southwestern Colorado faced a federal judge on Monday on charges that he made online death threats against election officials as well as other government employees. The officials are from Colorado and Arizona, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Law enforcement officers arrested Teak Brockbank in the town of Cortez where he lives late last week. He was taken into federal custody and will remain there until at least Wednesday, when a U.S. Attorney's Office spokesperson said Brockbank has a detention hearing scheduled.
"We allege that the defendant made detailed death threats against election officials, judges, and law enforcement officers," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a news release posted on the Department of Justice's website.
In 2021 and 2022, online accounts on forums called Rumble and Gab that investigators said belonged to Brockbank posted the threats, which included 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 Brockbank's phone and found threatening text messages, court records said.
If Brockbank is convicted on a charge he faces of transmitting interstate threats he could face 5 years in federal prison.
The names of the officials who were targeted have been redacted from court records.
Brockbank did not immediately reply to a text message or an email from The Associated Press 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.