An Arizona man is facing felony charges after Palm Beach County deputies say he used TikTok and other social platforms to send a series of threatening messages to a Florida influencer. Investigators allege the posts included violent threats and a pattern of unwanted contact that left the woman alarmed. The case quickly became a hunt for whoever was behind the accounts, with detectives leaning on social media and phone records to trace the activity back to Phoenix.
Police identified the suspect as 42‑year‑old Michael Sianez Garcia of Phoenix, and detectives say he was accused of making written threats to kill and of aggravated stalking. Investigators say influencer Natalie Valerin provided screenshots of posts and comments, and that detectives obtained records from TikTok and Verizon. Subscriber information allegedly tied the accounts to Garcia and matched Arizona police records, and deputies say that was enough probable cause to charge him, according to WPBF 25 News.
What the charges mean
Under Florida law, making a written threat to kill or to do bodily injury is prosecuted under Section 836.10 as a second‑degree felony. Aggravated stalking, which can include repeated electronic harassment accompanied by a credible threat, is charged under Section 784.048 as a third‑degree felony. Those statutes allow prosecutors to seek prison time and fines if there are convictions, although any sentence depends on the final charges and a person’s prior record. The full statutory language is available from the state Legislature at Florida statute 836.10 and Section 784.048.
How investigators say they traced the messages
Palm Beach County detectives wrote that they pulled account data from TikTok and requested phone subscriber records from Verizon to connect the threatening messages to a real person. According to deputies, Valerin told them she feared Garcia could travel from Arizona to Florida and harm her. Investigators say the combination of screenshots and subscriber data established probable cause for the charges. Those details appear in an arrest affidavit obtained by WPBF 25 News.
A growing enforcement trend
Law enforcement agencies across the country have increasingly turned to platform and carrier records to investigate violent or harassing online posts, and courts and juries have in some recent cases upheld prosecutions for digital threats. Prosecutors in Florida and elsewhere have pursued, and in some instances secured, convictions for violent threats posted to TikTok, underscoring how online comments can lead to criminal cases; see reporting by WFTV for a recent federal example.
Deputies say they determined there was probable cause to charge Garcia, but court filings released so far only outline allegations, and it was not immediately clear whether he has been extradited to Florida or what his booking and bond status might be. As in any criminal case, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and prosecutors will decide whether to file formal charges and how to handle any extradition.
