Staten Island man charged for online threats against people celebrating election

November 12, 2020 Associated Press

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, more informally known as Brooklyn Federal Court, in Downtown Brooklyn. Photo: Rob Abruzzese/Brooklyn Eagle

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FBI agents have arrested a New York City man for posting threats online against people celebrating the presidential election, politicians and law enforcement officers.

Brian Maiorana was ordered held without bail on Tuesday at a remote hearing in federal court in Brooklyn. Prosecutors told a judge the agents found a firearm in his Staten Island home that violated previous restrictions imposed on him as a registered sex offender.

“Americans have a constitutional right to voice their opinions, but this office will not tolerate violence or threats of violence used to intimidate others with whom they disagree,” said acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme said in a statement.

According to a criminal complaint, Maiorana posted a message on Sunday reading, “All right thinking people need to hit the streets while these scumbags are celebrating and start blowing them away.” Another read, “The carnage needs to come in the form of extermination of anyone that claims to be democrat … as well as their family members.”

The court papers didn’t name any politicians who came under threat, but said the defendant had written, “As the Jew Senator from Jew York said nothing is off the table. … We blow up the FBI building for real.”

Maiorana’s attorney, James Darrow, indicated he would seek bail for his client on a future date. He had no further comment.

Maiorana is a registered sex offender in New York because of a sexual assault conviction in Pennsylvania in 2007, court papers say.