A man from San Diego, California, was arrested Thursday, accused of making violent threats against an Arizona election official, according to the Department of Justice.
Identified as William Hyde, aged 52, the individual is set to have his initial court appearance scheduled for the following day at the federal courthouse in San Diego.
Hyde's Alleged Threatening Voicemails
The allegations revolve around Hyde purportedly leaving a series of threatening voicemail messages on the personal cell phone of an election official with the Maricopa County Recorder's Office in Phoenix, Arizona, just a day subsequent to the county officials certifying the 2022 election results.
"As alleged in the indictment, the defendant left threatening messages on a Maricopa County election official's personal cell phone the day after county officials certified the 2022 election results," Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department's Criminal Division stated.
According to the indictment revealed Friday, Hyde left menacing messages, including one stating, "Run, [expletive]," followed by another asserting, "You wanna cheat our elections? You wanna screw Americans out of true votes? We're coming, [expletive]. You'd better [expletive] hide."
Hyde allegedly delivered these messages following the victim election official's presence at a meeting of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on November 28, 2022. At this event, the Board formally ratified the results of the 2022 general election in Maricopa County.
Such actions, as emphasized by US Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California, strike at the core of democracy.
"Intimidation of election officials strikes at the very heart of our democracy," McGrath stressed. "Even just one case can have a ripple effect. This office will aggressively prosecute any attempt to intimidate, threaten, or frighten election officials as they engage in these critical duties."
Similarly, US Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona underscored the importance of safeguarding those entrusted with administering elections, praising the efforts of the Recorder's Office and Elections Department in Maricopa County.
The FBI San Diego Field Office took charge of the investigation, with substantial support from the FBI Phoenix Field Office.
Election Workers' Safety
Acting Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland of the FBI San Diego Field Office affirmed, "Individuals who work to ensure the integrity of our elections should not have to worry about their safety while working for the American people."
Hyde faces one count of communicating an interstate threat, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted.
The case is part of the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force, established to address threats of violence against election workers and ensure their ability to perform duties without fear or intimidation tactics.
The Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force plays a pivotal role in addressing threats against election workers. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement agencies to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate.
