A San Fernando Valley man has been convicted of sending threatening emails to the FBI, such as threatening to bomb its Los Angeles Field Office, the Department of Justice reported. According to the DOJ, Mark William Anten, 52, of Sun Valley, has been found guilty of making threats via interstate communication after sending a series of incendiary emails from July to December 2023, which referenced Theodore Kaczynski, known as "The Unabomber."
Following a three-day trial, Anten now faces up to a decade behind bars, with sentencing set for September 13, "Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to keep our community safe and therefore deserve our thanks and respect. Those who threaten the FBI and other law enforcement officers ignore the daily sacrifices these officers make to protect us and undermine the rule of law,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated according to the DOJ. Acting Assistant Director in Charge Krysti Hawkins of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office added that the FBI takes threats seriously and the jury shared this sentiment.
Anten was initially warned by FBI task force officers to cease contacting agents after admitting to sending previous messages but his behavior then escalated, within a fortnight after his encounter with the agents, he sent an email proclaiming "I AM THE UNABOMBER" and "I WILL UNABOMB THE LOS ANGELES FBI HQ," the DOJ detailed. He also sent photos showing results of an internet search for building a "dirty bomb" and even visited the FBI's office in Los Angeles confirmed by surveillance footage, with the DOJ affirming he continually threatened mass violence and compared his potential actions to those of the Unabomber.
Presided over by United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu, Anten's case resulted in a conviction that highlights the FBI’s and Department of Justice's tenacity in apprehending and prosecuting individuals threatening public safety or targeting law enforcement, Assistant United States Attorneys Clifford D. Mpare and Kedar S. Bhatia prosecuted the case which was investigated by the FBI with public information provided by Ciaran McEvoy, Public Information Officer.
For more details on this case, visit the DOJ's official press release.
