A 24-year-old Jasper man is facing a felony intimidation count after Indiana State Police say he unleashed a string of violent social media threats targeting Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith. Court records identify the suspect as Joshua Wasson. Along with the intimidation charge, troopers say he is also accused of misdemeanor marijuana and paraphernalia offenses. He was booked into the Dubois County Jail and initially held without bond while investigators dug further into the case.
According to court documents and a release from the Indiana State Police Jasper Post, the messages were posted on Facebook-based platforms on March 20, March 23 and April 30 and included violent language and images. One of the messages allegedly read, “can’t wait to see that big beautiful obituary,” alongside a photo of a T-shirt featuring Charlie Kirk and the words “Protect Ya Neck,” according to Fox59. The online posts triggered an investigation by state police detectives, who began reviewing the account activity tied to the threats.
Detectives from the Jasper Post later interviewed Wasson at his workplace. While retrieving items related to the investigation from his vehicle, they reported finding suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia, local outlets report. WFIE reports that Wasson was arrested at that point and transported to the Dubois County Jail. Authorities say the Jasper Post will forward its full investigative file to prosecutors as the case moves ahead.
Per court filings cited by Fox59, Wasson told investigators he sent the messages to “scare and intimidate” because he was angry about politics. He also allegedly said he had access to additional firearms through his father. The same Fox59 report says troopers found multiple weapons in the vehicle during their search. Online court records show Wasson later posted a $5,000 cash bond and is scheduled for a pretrial conference in Dubois Circuit Court on May 18, 2026.
Legal Implications
Intimidation of a public official is classified as a Level 6 felony in Indiana. A Level 6 carries a sentencing range of six months to two and a half years and fines of up to $10,000 under state law, according to the Indiana Code as published on Justia. In some circumstances, judges may reduce a Level 6 felony to a misdemeanor, but that depends on statutory criteria and specific findings by the court. If convicted, Wasson would face those statutory penalties, subject to prosecutor recommendations and the judge’s discretion.
State Reaction and Next Steps
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith said the messages had become “very, very threatening” and that he had received multiple messages starting in March, according to Indiana Capital Chronicle. Beckwith publicly thanked state police for tracking down the posts and said he expects a protective order may be sought. The Jasper Post says the investigation remains open and will be forwarded to the Dubois County prosecutor for charging decisions at the next court date.
