A Baker County man remains jailed accused of making threats via social media after county sheriff’s detectives investigating the case seized an AK-47 assault rifle, other assault-style rifles, handguns, extended capacity ammunition magazines and a black skull mask during a search of his home.
Our Florida Times-Union news partner reports Brandon Wayne Yancey, 44, of Glen St. Mary, was arrested Saturday on a charge of intimidation — writing or sending threats to kill or injure. He was held in lieu of $50,000 bail Sunday at the Baker County Detention Center, according to jail personnel.
The Baker County Sheriff’s Office said Yancey recently had been terminated by his employer for “documented sexual harassment.” It was believed that Yancey was distraught over being terminated and was possibly seeking retaliation, the Sheriff’s Office said in detailing his arrest on its Facebook page.
Neither Yancey nor his family could be reached for comment Sunday. Information whether he has an attorney wasn’t available.
A public Facebook page purportedly belonging to Yancey features a March 23 cover photo of a person wearing a black mask and hood displaying what appears to be two semiautomatic pistols — one in each hand — folded across his/her chest.
A comment attributed to Yancey below that photo said: “Thinking about doing something. Do not know if I should. Recent events say go for it.”
Several similar photos showing the masked person taking selfies while holding what appear to be assault-style firearms, as well as handguns and a black skull mask also are on that Facebook page.
The Sheriff’s Office began investigating after receiving reports that a man was making threats via social media with pictures of himself posing with various weapons ranging from handguns to shotguns and assault style rifles.
The person who received the messages Yancey is accused of sending provided screen shots of the conversation — including the remark about “thinking about doing something ...” to sheriff’s deputies. Saturday afternoon, detectives contacted Yancey and other family members at his home.
The Sheriff’s Office said Yancey confirmed he posted pictures of himself displaying the firearms while engaged in a social media conversation. However, Yancey denied he specifically threatened anyone, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
In addition, the Sheriff’s Office said Yancey confirmed he had been terminated from his job. He subsequently acknowledged multiple firearms belonging to him where inside the home, which he shares with his parents. Yancey and his parents denied permission for detectives to search the home, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office said detectives got a search warrant went inside and found numerous firearms in Yancey’s bedroom and elsewhere in the home.
Among the items seized were “several assault-style rifles, handguns, an AK-47 assault rifle, a black skull mask, gloves, and clothing. All those items were observed in the photos Yancey allegedly posted to social media, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
You can read the original version of this story at jacksonville.com.
