A 31-year-old Fort Worth man is in the Tarrant County jail after authorities say he posted a social-media threat that called out a local judge by name.
Cesar Vizcaya-Raudales was arrested Wednesday at a north Fort Worth residence and booked on a charge of making a terroristic threat against a peace officer or judge. Deputies also found an active harassment warrant out of North Richland Hills at the time of the arrest, so his visit with law enforcement was not exactly a short one.
What authorities say
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest in a release and said the online post specifically singled out Tarrant County Criminal Court No. 8 Judge Charles Vanover.
Sheriff Bill Waybourn stressed in the release that threats aimed at judges are treated as serious business and that people who make them will be tracked down and jailed. The sheriff’s office did not disclose what the post actually said, and it remained unclear whether Vizcaya-Raudales has an attorney, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Past charges and custody status
Court records show this is not Vizcaya-Raudales’ first run-in tied to public officials. In 2023 he was charged with harassing a public official, accused of calling that official more than 100 times. He completed deferred-adjudication probation in that case.
Deputies said the North Richland Hills harassment warrant was still active when they arrested him Wednesday. Booking and roster information now list him in the Tarrant County jail, and the county keeps public inmate and booking resources online for anyone checking custody status.
Legal implications of the charge
Vizcaya-Raudales faces a charge of making a terroristic threat against a peace officer or judge, an offense that Texas law treats more harshly when the target is a judge or peace officer. Under the Texas Penal Code, terroristic threat cases can be filed at higher levels depending on who is threatened and what the threat is meant to accomplish. The statute and penalty ranges are detailed in the Texas Penal Code.
As of Wednesday evening, officials had not released bond information or a court date in the new case. Any future filings and hearings will appear in Tarrant County’s court and jail records.
