Oklahoma man pleads guilty to online threats against GOP governors, senator

Aug. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma announced Thursday an Enid man has pleaded guilty to posting threats against Senator Ted Cruz and the governors of Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas.

U.S. Attorney Robert Troester's office said in a statement that Tyler Jay Marshall had been using Twitter, the social-media platform now known as X, to post threats to shoot or bomb several government officials and their families, including Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

Marshall is charged with one count of threatening to murder a United States official and one count of interstate transmission of threatening communications.

Troester's office said Marshall admitted as part of his guilty plea that he knew his posts would be seen as real threats.

If convicted, Marshall faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of as much as $250,000.

According to the FBI, Marshall created an email address that contained words saying the GOP "should die."

In response to a DeSantis tweet attacking diversity, equity and inclusiveness in higher education, Marshall replied, "I'll see you dead in your home."