BUCYRUS—The sentencing for a Bucyrus man accused of making death threats against the then-governor elect of Arizona in 2022 has been postponed for 60 days in federal court. The charges, filed in the US District Court for Northern Ohio, state that the man, Joshua Russell, 45, of Bucyrus left threatening messages with the Arizona secretary of state’s office on three separate occasions. These incidents resulted in three separate federal charges for making interstate threats.
A sign adorns Russell’s front door that depicts a red Statue of Liberty with the words “Demon Rats” beneath
One of the voice messages, left on August 2, accused the secretary of state of election fraud and threatened harm, stating that their days were numbered, and that America was coming for them. The threats were left on August 2, September 9, and November 14, shortly after the election in which Democrat Katie Hobbs defeated Trump-backed Republican Kari Lake. In the message left on November 15, the caller warned of an impending war and stated that the recipient had signed their own death warrant.
The threats were traced back to two phone numbers, both linked to the same TracFone that was purchased with Russell’s debit card. On December 8, the FBI visited Russell at his residence on Dudley Street in Bucyrus, with the local police and fire departments on standby.
