A 48-year-old man is facing a stack of felony charges after investigators say he threatened a judge serving on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He was arrested Friday and is expected back in court this week as the case starts working its way through the system.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Security Operations Unit identified the suspect as Miles Basurto and said deputies arrested him on suspicion of threatening an elected official, according to NBC Los Angeles. Authorities did not immediately release details about the nature of the alleged threat.
Security unit handles threats to the bench
The Security Operations Unit is the Sheriff's Department division tasked with handling threats against judges and other court personnel, as well as coordinating security for the county's trial courts. The unit's public procedures say it conducts threat assessments and coordinates investigative and protective measures for judicial officers, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Felony counts and court date
After his arrest, Basurto was booked and charged with felony counts that include threatening state officials or judges, threatening a public officer, criminal threats and stalking. A temporary restraining order is in effect, as reported by NBC Los Angeles. A court date was set for Tuesday, and it was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney.
How California treats criminal-threat charges
In California, a criminal-threats charge can be filed either as a misdemeanor or a felony. When prosecutors pursue it as a felony, it can bring state prison time and substantial fines, along with collateral consequences such as loss of firearm rights. According to Shouse Law, felony criminal-threat convictions can be treated as serious offenses for sentencing purposes and may carry additional consequences.
Stalking, restraining orders and extra penalties
Stalking under Penal Code 646.9 is a "wobbler," meaning it can be charged either as a misdemeanor or a felony, and it is often handled more severely when it involves a violation of an active restraining order. Penalties can include years in prison and civil remedies for victims. Local criminal-law resources note that stalking convictions can lead to prison time, fines and civil liability, especially when a court order is violated, per LA Attorney.
What comes next in the case
Basurto remains subject to the temporary restraining order while the case moves through arraignment and pretrial proceedings. More specific allegations and evidence are expected to surface at the court hearing and in subsequent filings.
