Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Sending Terroristic Threats to FBI

MICHAEL ROBERT DEJONG, 24, of Auburn, Georgia, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge William C. O’Kelley to serve one year in federal prison on a charge of using the Internet to threaten to destroy buildings of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by fire or explosives.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said, “Any threat to national security, however communicated, must be taken seriously, investigated thoroughly, and prosecuted fully, even if ultimately determined to be a hoax. This repeat offender is being justly punished for his actions.”

DEJONG was sentenced to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. DEJONG pleaded guilty to the charges on May 14, 2009.

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and other information presented in court: On February 4, 2009, DEJONG, identifying himself as “Mr. L,” sent a message to the threat/complaint page of the FBI's Internet website. In that message, DEJONG stated, in part, that he “was locked up for threatening President Bush in 2007-2008" and was charged with “interfering with the performance of the Secret Service.” DEJONG further threatened that he would “destroy every single FBI building. Starting here in Atlanta.” DEJONG’s message also included various statements regarding “failure,” “loss of hope,” and “loss of trust” in the country, as well as a comment that he is a “hero for [his] people.” After examining the computer used to send the threat, the FBI identified the sender as DEJONG and arrested him.

DEJONG was convicted in 2008 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia of interfering with the performance of the Secret Service. DEJONG served a year in federal prison for that crime and was still on supervised release when he sent the threatening e-mail to the FBI in February 2009. Today, in addition to sentencing DEJONG for the new conviction, Judge O’Kelley sentenced DEJONG to another 10 months in prison for violating the conditions of his supervised release by engaging in new criminal conduct. DEJONG will serve the 10-month supervised release sentence after he serves the one year sentence imposed for the new conviction involving the FBI hoax.

This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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