Queens man pleads guilty to threatening to kill elected officials

August 16, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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

Share this:

On Monday in Brooklyn Federal Court, Eduard Florea pleaded guilty before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak to one count of transmitting threats to injure and one count of possessing ammunition after having been convicted of a felony.

As described in court documents, Florea posted threatening statements online about killing elected officials, including now-United States Senator Raphael Warnock, and committing acts of violence in Washington, D.C. in connection with the certification of the results of the 2020 Presidential Election.

For example, on Jan. 5, 2021, at approximately 8:40 p.m., Florea posted, “We need to all come to an agreement … and go armed .. and really take back Washington.” A few minutes later, Florea posted, “Tomorrow may very [well] be the day war kicks off ..”

At 11:53 p.m. the same day, Florea posted, “Warnock is going to have a hard time casting votes for communist policies when he’s swimming with the f***ing fish.” In the early morning hours of January 6, 2021, at approximately 12:42 a.m., Florea referenced Senator Warnock and stated, “Dead men can’t pass sh*t laws . . .”

On Jan. 6, 2021, after the assault on the United States Capitol had begun, Florea posted that he intended to travel to Washington, D.C. as part of a group armed with firearms ready to engage in additional violence.

U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Cheryl Pollak, E.D.N.Y. YouTube photo

Between approximately 2 and 6 p.m.—while the Capitol was under siege—Florea posted the following messages, among others:
• “Mine are ready….I am ready…. we need to regroup outside of DC and attack from all sides… talking to some other guys….I will keep watching for the signal.”
• “I am awaiting my orders…armed and ready to deploy….”
• “Guns cleaned loaded . . . got a bunch of guys all armed and ready to deploy . . . we are just waiting for the word”
• “There 3 car full of armed patriots heading in from NY….”
• “Me and some guys are gearing up to head in. . . . where are you . . . 3 cars already are enroute . . . .all armed.”
• “It’s time to unleash some violence.”

On January 12, 2021, FBI Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force executed a search warrant at Florea’s home in Middle Village, Queens. The search revealed that Florea, who had been previously convicted of a New York state firearms-related felony, illegally possessed more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.

In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, violent insurrectionists scale the west wall of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File

Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, acting United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Jacqueline Maguire, acting assistant director-in-charge, FBI, New York Field Office, announced the guilty plea.

“With today’s guilty plea, Florea admits to threatening the life of a successful candidate for the U.S. Senate and to urging others to take up arms to unleash violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to thwart the results of the presidential election.” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis in a statement.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro and Andrew P. Wenzel are in charge of the prosecution.