Federal agents in Minneapolis say a chaotic January night on the city’s north side has followed them home, with doxxing, harassing calls and even suspicious drive-bys after identification documents were stolen from two vandalized federal vehicles on Jan. 14. Investigators say some of the seized IDs and contact information were splashed online, then used to funnel threats and intimidating messages toward employees and their families. Federal investigations are underway, arrests have already been made, and authorities say they are still working to track down everyone who allegedly used the purloined data to menace agents.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, roughly 10 to 15 FBI agents and employees started receiving repeated harassing and threatening phone calls, emails, and drive-bys once their personal information was compromised. One Minnesota-based agent, the filing says, was hit with texts and voicemails that used his real name, hurled racial slurs, referenced firebombing, and threatened his child, who is away at school. Messages to his work cellphone reportedly came from 23 different numbers. Investigators say one string of texts included a sender’s phone number that led them to Jose Alberto Ramirez of Schaumburg, Ill., who was arrested Jan. 29 and charged in connection with the threats, according to the Star Tribune.
How Stolen IDs Turned Into Fuel For Harassment
Federal records and a public notice from the FBI say multiple government vehicles were vandalized on Jan. 14 and that government property and official documents were taken from the cars. In response, the bureau issued a public seeking information alert and put up a reward of up to $100,000 for information that leads to the recovery of stolen property or the arrest of those responsible. Investigators say the theft and public posting of identity documents created an immediate safety risk for employees, whose home and work details were suddenly exposed to anyone with a browser and bad intentions. The FBI is urging anyone with relevant tips to contact the bureau.
Arrests And Charges Spreading Across States
Federal prosecutors have now unsealed several cases tied to the Jan. 14 break-ins. Brenna Marie Doyle, 18, of Spokane, was charged Jan. 26 in U.S. District Court in Minnesota with threatening to murder a federal law enforcement officer and an immediate family member, along with transmitting online threats. Ramirez, 28, of Schaumburg, Ill., was arrested Jan. 29 and is accused in the complaint of transmitting threats that investigators say were linked to the stolen documents. Raul Gutierrez, 33, of Minneapolis, was charged Jan. 16 with illegal gun possession and theft after investigators say he broke into an FBI vehicle and stole a rifle. These developments were detailed in federal arrest reporting by Fox News and in additional coverage by the Star Tribune.
Legal Stakes For Threats Against Feds…