Seaside man faces extradition to Indiana
Allegedly posted social media threats to shoot up Indiana State University
Allegedly posted social media threats to shoot up Indiana State University; police find firearms in search.
DUBLIN >> A Seaside man is being held in federal custody in Dublin, pending extradition to Indiana, where he faces charges of repeatedly threatening university officials on the social media platform X, court records show.
Nicholas Wheeler, 27, was charged in federal court March 20, and arrested five days later at his Seaside home in Monterey County. Police say they found six firearms during a search of the property, including one that appeared similar to one Wheeler allegedly posted on X with a selfie, alongside a post that read, “I'm coming back you ain't gonna like me because I have my mg-m2 machine gun now,” according to the criminal complaint.
At Wheeler's most recent court hearing, lawyers confirmed he has a psychological evaluation scheduled for later this week. The social media posts cited in the criminal complaint contain explicit threats and racial slurs, but also rantings about how a professor paid $50,000 to have Wheeler assaulted and “sterilized” in his apartment, as well as Wheeler demanding $500,000.
“I have a full loaded 200 round MG-M2 machine gun. An uzi, an ar15, and a few glocks (sic). I'm gonna have revenge. I went ahead and bought level 4 body armor and a bullet proof helmet,” one post says, according to the complaint. Another allegedly reads, “Save all my tweets. I'll be on the news in 72 hours if I don't get my money.”
The posts were aimed at Indiana State University officials, and referenced some of their family members, according to police.
Federal prosecutors charged Wheeler with two counts of transmitting threats online, and he faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Police did not say what types of guns were seized from the home, other than saying one appeared to be the same handgun displayed in a selfie Wheeler posted online.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen ordered Wheeler detained while the matter is pending, a ruling that could be reevaluated by a new judge once he's extradited to Indiana. In the meantime, he remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail without bail, court records show.