FBI warns of threats in New Mexico
"Ability to hide behind the keyboard and still cause harassment and chaos — you can be traced. You're definitely going to be arrested, and you're going to jail," Bujanda told KOAT
"Ability to hide behind the keyboard and still cause harassment and chaos — you can be traced. You're definitely going to be arrested, and you're going to jail," Bujanda told KOAT
"Ability to hide behind the keyboard and still cause harassment and chaos — you can be traced. You're definitely going to be arrested, and you're going to jail," Bujanda told KOAT
Video above: FBI special agent in charge Raul Bujanda warns of threats in New Mexico. According to FBI, threats could become a federal offense when interstate commerce is used in form of communication via phone, text and e-mail.
If convicted, one can face up to five years in prison. If the threats result in death or harm to an individual, one can face 20 years to life in prison.
Related: Threats amid drag queen performance at Atrisco Heritage prom
"It goes back to that liberty that we all enjoy, that freedom of speech. It's okay for you to think a certain way, even if your way is different than mine. It's taking it to the next level when we're threatening someone's life," FBI special agent in charge Raul Bujanda said.
"There's many different reasons for it. When you look at threats, it could be because I dislike this person, right? Or I dislike something that they did, or I dislike this company, or I dislike what they stand for. That's one part of it. They could be singular, or it could be looking at many different people or organizations. We've seen this happening across the country," Bujanda said.
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"It's not even so much that they really have a dislike for a person or dislike for an organization, but they're trying to get people to think a certain way, right? 'If I can get a larger group of people to think a certain way, these are the types of things and tactics that are used from some of our foreign adversaries," Bujanda told KOAT. "Or maybe it is, unfortunately, someone that's in the United States that wants to cause that same kind of chaos, but it'll make it seem that their communications are coming from outside of the U.S."
>> Call 1-800-CALL-FBI or report threats at the Internet Crime Complaint center, here.
"Report that information either way so we can look to see is this part of a larger type of scheme or this is coming from an organization that we've already identified, and we know exactly what it is that they're up to," Bujanda said. "I'd rather come back with some concrete facts and evidence showing that it is a hoax and then say it's a hoax before we actually jump the gun, and it actually might be someone that's really threatening someone's life."
According to the FBI, the specific threat involving Atrisco Heritage school staff and the performer at this year's prom is still under investigation.
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