Minnetonka man convicted for threats to kill judges, officials
A federal jury on Friday convicted 68-year-old Jeffrey Allen Petersen of Minnetonka of making online threats to kill U.S. judges and elected officials.[1]
Jurors found Petersen guilty on 10 counts of threatening to murder judges and elected officials and 10 counts of interstate transmission of threats to injure.[1] The Department of Justice said the threats targeted eight judges — including an Associate Supreme Court Justice — and at least four elected officials, and a sentencing date has not been set.[1]
U.S. Marshals Service judicial security intelligence first flagged a threatening post and traced the poster's IP address to Petersen's Minnetonka home.[1] The FBI's Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force executed a search warrant at his residence and seized electronic devices and email accounts that tied him to the messages.[1] The posts used usernames referencing mass shooters such as "Adam Lanza," "Anders Breivik Behring" and "james holmes." FOX 9
Officials have not disclosed the judges' or officials' names or the websites used to post the threats.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- Defendant identified as Jeffrey Allen Petersen, 68, of Minnetonka, Minnesota.
- A federal jury found Petersen guilty of 10 counts of threatening to murder U.S. judges and elected officials and 10 counts of interstate transmission of threats to injure.
- Threats were posted under usernames referencing mass shooters, including "Adam Lanza," "Anders Breivik Behring" and "james holmes."
- U.S. Marshals Service judicial security intelligence first flagged a post and traced the IP address to Petersen in Minnetonka.
- FBI Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force executed a search warrant at his Minnetonka home and seized electronic devices and email accounts tying him to the threats.
- DOJ says Petersen threatened eight judges, including an Associate Supreme Court Justice, and at least four elected officials, though their names and the websites used have not been disclosed.
- Petersen was convicted Friday; a sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
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