Man accused of message threats refuses to tell the court his name
DUBLIN >> Earlier this week, federal authorities say they arrested 35-year-old Robert Lemke of Bay Point — and plan to extradite him to New York to face federal charges — for allegedly texting threats to the family members of a congressman and a journalist.
But so far, the person authorities identified as Lemke is refusing to confirm that Robert Lemke is his name.
In a Wednesday morning court hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse, the man identified as Lemke refused to confirm that he was, in fact, the person wanted on charges out of the Southern District of New York. Lemke was arrested in Bay Point, pending extradition to Manhattan, where the Southern District of New York’s U.S. Attorney’s Office filed the charges, authorities announced Tuesday.
That leaves the court with two options: wait and see if the defendant changes his mind or set an identity hearing where prosecutors will provide evidence before a federal magistrate that the right man was arrested. At this point, such a hearing has tentatively been set for Monday, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler, who also is expected to decide whether to free the defendant or keep him jailed.
Daniel Blank, the deputy federal public defender assigned to represent Lemke, said in court Wednesday morning that he met briefly with his client before the hearing. “I expect he will admit he is the Robert Lemke who is wanted in New York, but in the interim we’d like to set a bail hearing,” he said.
Federal prosecutors did not object, as long as the defendant was kept in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin until then. Tse agreed to keep him in custody and set the Monday hearing date.
In a news release and in court records filed Tuesday, prosecutors allege that Lemke texted threats to the brother of a congressman and a family member of a journalist. The threats were motivated by Lemke’s inability to accept President Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, authorities claimed.
“Your brother is putting your entire family at risk with his lies and other words. We are armed and nearby your house,” Lemke allegedly wrote in a text message to the brother of a congressman Jan. 11. “You had better have a word with him. We are not far from his either. Already spoke to and know where his kids are.”
On Jan. 6, he allegedly texted a relative of the journalist a similar threat.
“Words are putting you and your family at risk. We are nearby armed and ready,” he allegedly wrote, according to the complaint. “Thousands of us are active/retired law enforcement, military, etc. That’s how we do it.”
The complaint alleges that Lemke also purported to be a former member of Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, but a spokesman for the office said Lemke never worked there.