Wilbraham man arrested for alleged violent threats against officials online
WILBRAHAM, Mass. (WWLP) – A man from Wilbraham has been arrested and charged in federal court in connection with violent threats made on social media towards officials and their families.
Funwayo Mblini Nyawo, 36, was arrested last Thursday in the Southern District of Florida and charged in the District of Massachusetts with one count of interstate transmission of threatening communications.
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Charging documents state that Nyawo allegedly posted violent threats on X and Google between the dates of July 30, 2024, and November 7, 2024, specifically targeting local officials such as members of the Wilbraham Police Department the Wilbraham Fire Department, and the Miami Police Department. He also allegedly made threats towards the children of Wilbraham and Boston, malls in Holyoke and Burlington, and an elementary school.
Some of the posts made by Nyawo also referenced terrorist organizations like ISIS and Al Qaeda, allegedly expressing a call to arms to harm members of the community through his posts.
From November 1 to 4 2024, an account linked to Nyawo made three consecutive posts with statements such as: 'ISIS: Attack Boston again' and 'Mujahideen from around the world. Go to boston. Shoot to kill. Preferably their children.'
Nyawo is currently awaiting sentencing. The charge of interstate transmission of threatening communications provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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