A 46-year-old Tucson man is facing federal charges after he allegedly emailed a local television station claiming an imminent bomb attack would target the White House and other locations in Washington, D.C. Jacob Hicks was arrested after authorities received a tip about the threatening email, and investigators say they later found a trail of additional draft messages containing similar threats.
According to the criminal complaint, Hicks sent the threatening email to Scripps News Tucson, which shared it with authorities, as reported by ABC15 Arizona. The station, which operates locally as KGUN-TV under ownership of the E.W. Scripps Company, is the market's ABC affiliate, according to Hoodline.
The FBI confirmed that the forwarded email prompted law enforcement to launch an investigation, per the bureau. Officials then identified Hicks as the alleged sender. The threatening emails were dated September 23 and targeted the White House and other locations in Washington, D.C.
Investigators Say Drafts Reveal a Broader Pattern
As the report notes, investigators discovered additional unsent email drafts containing similar threats, which were linked to the same account allegedly used by Hicks. Those drafts were addressed to other news organizations and contained similar threats against the White House. Officials say their investigation into the incident is continuing.
Hicks has been charged with making an interstate threat to injure.
Who Handles a Case Like This in Southern Arizona
Federal Agencies and Court Appearance The FBI and a U.S. attorney are involved in the case. Hicks has made his first court appearance.
Digital Forensics and What Comes Next
Additional Email Drafts Investigators found additional, unsent email drafts containing similar threats, linked to the same account allegedly used by Hicks.
It remains an open question whether federal prosecutors in the District of Arizona will file additional counts under federal explosive or presidential threat statutes.
