Current:Home > ContactNewly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats -ApexWealth
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
View
Date:2025-04-13 03:46:06
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A newly elected state lawmaker in West Virginia is facing at least one felony and is accused of making terroristic threats.
Joseph de Soto, 61, was arrested by state police Thursday in Martinsburg following an investigation that found he made “several threatening/intimidating threats against government officials,” according to a statement from Lt. Leslie T. Goldie Jr. of the West Virginia State Police. The lieutenant did not provide details about the threats or to whom they were directed.
De Soto was elected to his first term in the West Virginia House as a Republican representing part of Berkeley County in the state’s eastern panhandle in November, receiving 72% of the vote in the general election after defeating two other Republicans in the May primary.
De Soto did not immediately return a phone message Thursday seeking comment. A Berkeley County Magistrate Court clerk said that as of Thursday, de Soto had not yet been scheduled for arraignment. The case is still under investigation, state police said.
“The West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Capitol Police take all threats against government process seriously,” Goldie Jr. said. “Any person making these threats used to intimidate, disrupt, or coerce the members of our West Virginia legislature or other governmental bodies will not be tolerated.”
If convicted, de Soto could face a maximum fine of $25,000 and three years in prison.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
veryGood! (46499)
Related
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Ice-T, Michael Caine pay tribute to Quincy Jones
- Ice-T, Michael Caine pay tribute to Quincy Jones
- Manslaughter charges dropped in a man’s death at a psychiatric hospital
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Outer Banks Ending After Season 5
- Homes wiped out by severe weather in Oklahoma: Photos show damage left by weekend storms
- Kendall Jenner Shares Glimpse at Birthday Celebration With Witches Don't Age Cake
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- Chiefs trade deadline targets: Travis Etienne, Jonathan Jones, best fits for Kansas City
Ranking
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Secret Crush
- Quincy Jones, music titan who worked with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, dies at 91
- College athletes are getting paid and fans are starting to see a growing share of the bill
- Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
- Quincy Jones paid tribute to his daughter in final Instagram post: Who are his 7 kids?
- Psychotropic Medications and High Heat Don’t Mix
- TikToker Bella Bradford, 24, Announces Her Own Death in Final Video After Battle With Rare Cancer
Recommendation
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
Outer Banks Ending After Season 5
A Tribute to Chartthrob Steve Kornacki and His Beloved Khakis
Storm in the Caribbean is on a track to likely hit Cuba as a hurricane
'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
Today's fresh apples could be a year old: Surprising apple facts
Appeals court says Arizona should release list of voters with unverified citizenship
Competing abortion proposals highlight a record number of ballot measures in Nebraska