MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A man accused of making a series of violent and hate-based threats against a New York reporter was arrested Friday morning in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Austin Suman, 35, allegedly threatened to kill the woman and her family, and blow up her house, the attorney’s office said. He was arrested in Myrtle Beach and will be returned to White Plains, New York, to face federal charges in the Southern District Court.
According to a complaint, the threats against the Orange County, New York, woman were made via Facebook and email messages. The threats were motivated by an article she wrote several years ago about Suman’s arrest for threatening a former roommate with a firearm, which resulted in his guns being taken away.
“I will end you and your family,” one of the messages said. “You better stay in [N]ew [Y]ork.”
In another one of the threats, he said his guns had been returned and that “I have more guns than ever,” including “ful[ly] auto[matic]” weapons, the complaint said. The threats also included several ethnic slurs.
“The charges against the defendant demonstrate our resolve to work at lightning speed to neutralize threats against the press—which serves a vital role in our democracy,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a news release. “To any individual who dares to cross the line and make hate-based threats against members of our press: you will be found, and you will be held accountable for your actions.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said Suman “allegedly made numerous threats and ethnic slurs to a local news reporter to file a personal grievance against her for her previous reporting of his prior arrest.”
“His alleged threats to inflict significant harm with firearms and explosives were delivered with intimidation and prejudice,” Dennehy said. “Hiding behind a screen will not prevent the FBI’s pursuit of those who target others with hateful messages of violence and death.”
Suman is charged with threatening interstate communications, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; willfully making a threat involving explosives, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and interstate stalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
