DETROIT — A Flint-area man vowed to kill FBI Director Christopher Wray and threatened a Congressman from California after ranting online about child sex trafficking, a central element of QAnon and other conspiracy theories, according to a federal complaint unsealed Tuesday.
Grand Blanc resident Neil Matthew Walter, 32, was arrested and charged in federal court with transmitting threats against Wray and Congressman John Garamendi, a charge that carries a maximum five-year prison sentence. He was ordered held without bond while awaiting a Dec. 1 detention hearing.
The unsealed filing details the latest allegation of domestic extremism or national security threats involving Michigan residents in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and a plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. In recent days, federal prosecutors in Metro Detroit have charged a member of the far-right anti-government Boogaloo movement and a Westland man accused of trying to provide support to the Islamic State terrorist group and possessing a destructive device.
The criminal case was unsealed amid an increase in domestic violent extremism. An FBI strategic intelligence assessment in October revealed that domestic terrorism investigations had nearly doubled last year, from 1,400 to approximately 2,700.
There was no immediate comment from the FBI or a Garamendi spokesman. Garamendi, who was reelected earlier this month, served as lieutenant governor during Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s tenure, is a former deputy secretary of the U.S. Interior in the Clinton administration and has represented Northern California since 2009.
Walter's lawyer, Bryan Sherer, did not respond immediately to a message seeking comment Tuesday.
In the latest case, members of the U.S. Capitol Police launched an investigation earlier this month before notifying the FBI.
On Nov. 3, Walter targeted Congressman John Garamendi, a Democrat, by leaving a voicemail message that says: "John. Hey John. You're gonna die John. You're gonna die," according to an FBI agent's affidavit unsealed in court.
The message was sent from a phone with a Florida area code. Investigators searched a law enforcement database and discovered the same phone number appeared in a police report for a traffic crash in Mundy Township, south of Flint. The phone number belonged to Neil Walter of Grand Blanc, according to the FBI agent.
Investigators viewed his driver's license photo and matched it to a Facebook account. The Facebook account contained comments that half of U.S. senators, the FBI, CIA, police, actor Tom Cruise and Elon Musk were involved in a child slave rape ring at multiple locations, including the U.S. Capitol.
One Facebook post from Walter's account that tagged Garamendi on Nov. 3 drew attention from federal investigators.
"Have a nice life John, your gettin put down for life bud," the post reads.
Five days later, a Capitol police investigator asked a detective in Genesee County to check on Walter. Walter answered the door and was carrying a firearm.
"... although no direct threats were made towards law enforcement, Walter did claim that he would defend himself against the U.S. government," the FBI agent wrote.
During the interview, Walter ranted about kids being raped and a lawsuit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, the agent wrote.
At one point, Walter's father arrived, telling investigators his son had "mental instability" and had been committed to a Florida hospital, the agent wrote.
Walter's mother spoke to a Capitol Police investigator and expressed concern about her son's safety. She first discovered her son's mental health issues in December 2021.
"Walter was acting odd and jumped through a window and sustained multiple injuries," the FBI agent wrote.
Relatives took Walter to a mental health facility where he was involuntarily committed before being diagnosed with an "unspecified psychosis," the FBI agent wrote.
On Nov. 10, the mother told investigators Walter refused mental health treatment, continued to possess a firearm and "made statements he would protect himself if anyone comes to try to take him from his home," according to the court filing.
The same day, Walter called Capitol Police investigators and complained about them calling his relatives, the FBI agent wrote.
The threats allegedly worsened Nov. 19. Walter used his Facebook account to threaten Wray during livestreamed testimony by the FBI director about national security threats, according to the complaint.
"Your sentence will be absolutely incredible in death over redundantly," Walter wrote in one post, according to the court filing.
"Get prepared for your killings..." another post reads.
"Director Wray is going to die every single day multiple times a day for raping my family over and over and lying to them...," another post reads. "I will kill you..."
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