Evergreen man Kyle William Staebell was sentenced to 21 months in prison on Thursday for making threats to commit mass violence.
According to the defendant’s plea, in the early morning hours of Jan. 16, 2023, the defendant, 34, threatened to attack the Federal Bureau of Investigation office in Denver, an office of the Department of Homeland Security and the location of a Colorado-based performing arts group.
The FBI, the Denver Police Department, the Lakewood Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office immediately began an investigation and arrested the defendant that same day.
In the month before issuing the threats, the defendant visited each of the threatened locations, conducted online research regarding acts of mass violence, and possessed a Molotov cocktail, according to investigators.
“The Office of the United States Attorney of Colorado is committed to prosecuting individuals who threaten the safety and security of Coloradans,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Cole Finegan. “We remain grateful to our law enforcement partners who were able to swiftly investigate this case and keep our communities safe.”
Free speech is protected but it becomes a crime when threats of violence are made, said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek.
"Violence and threats of violence have no place in our society, and this sentence demonstrates our resolve to disrupt plots to commit mass violence and keep our communities safe," Michalek added.
The FBI urges the public to report suspicious or threatening behavior to their local law enforcement or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
