The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
FBI traced festival threat
Cops: Man, 53, said he was ‘bored,’ had no intent to harm anyone
NEW HAVEN — The man charged in connection with an alleged threat to the New Haven Puerto Rican Festival admitted to police he posted the threat on Facebook but said it was “stupid” and he didn’t intend to harm anyone, according to the arrest warrant.
Jeffrey Hanson, 53, of High Plains Road, Orange, was arraigned Monday in Superior Court on a charge of seconddegree breach of peace. He had posted a $50,000 bond Saturday, a few hours after his arrest.
Police said Hanson used the name “Jake Wilson” to post a message on the WTNH Facebook page, stating: “THIS is why we need 30 round magazines.” The comment followed the news station’s article, “City of New Haven prepping for this weekend’s Puerto Rican parade.”
The festival was held without incident Saturday on the New Haven Green. However, police added extra patrols.
The New Haven police arrest warrant affidavit reported that on Aug. 7, an officer responded to Chestnut Street, where a person said that that morning he or she had seen the threatening comment on the WTNH Facebook page.
A screenshot of the post was taken and forwarded to the investigating officer.
The complainant also contacted WTNH through a Facebook account and wrote: “Please contact the NHPD regarding the comment about the Puerto Rican Festival post.”
The complainant received this response from WTNH: “Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Wilson has been banned from our Facebook page. The comment has been hidden and reported. It looks like someone has tagged NHPD on Facebook as well.”
A New Haven police detective spoke with news officials at WTNH and then investigated the page identified as Wilson’s.
“The profile picture is an image of Captain Quint from (the movie) ‘Jaws’ pouring beer into the mouth of a shark,” the warrant stated. “The cover photo is the Betsy Ross American flag.”
According to the warrant, the “intro” portion of the Facebook page read: “African American homosexual conservative. Democrats hate me because they can’t own me.” (Hanson is white.)
“The New Haven Police Department believes this threat is credible and is concerned about the safety and wellbeing of those in attendance at the Puerto Rican Festival,” the warrant affidavit said. “Due to the comment posted on Facebook, the New Haven Police Department increased patrol presence at the festival, with emergency services (SWAT) and Hazardous Device Unit (HDU) personnel.”
According to the warrant, on the day the Facebook
posting was reported, police requested voluntary subscriber information for that page on an emergency basis.
Facebook, however, “denied our request, stating they determined it does not meet the standards required for voluntary disclosure of data,” the warrant affidavit said.
But last Friday, Special Agent Anthony Duback of the FBI Joint Terrorism Unit in the New Haven office used investigative techniques to identify “Jake Wilson” as Jeffrey Hanson of Orange, the warrant stated.
That same afternoon, members of the New Haven and Orange police departments as well as Duback met at the Orange Police Department and contacted Hanson at his home. Duback and New Haven police Detective Orlando Crespo then went to Hanson’s residence to interview him.
“Hanson was cooperative and expected us,” the warrant said. “Hanson immediately advised us that he knew why we were there. Hanson admitted to placing
the Facebook post.”
“Hanson stated he had no intention of creating an issue,” the warrant added. “Hanson stated he only put that out because he was bored. Hanson stated it was really stupid and apologized. Hanson stated he neither had nor has any intentions of hurting anyone.”
The warrant also quoted Hanson saying he has no firearms nor access to any firearms or explosives.
The warrant noted that during the interview, Hanson’s wife, Kelly Hanson, “showed up” and her husband immediately told her: “I did something stupid on Facebook.”
“Kelly stated she was completely unaware of the post,” the warrant said. “Kelly stated that she would make sure Jeffrey was off Facebook from here on. Kelly told us Jeffrey is very opinionated and sometimes ‘really stupid.’”
At the end of the interview, the warrant stated, Hanson said he had “been expecting this” and “respectfully” asked: “What took you guys so long?”
Hanson also was quoted asking investigators whether he had to “go with” them.
They told him he did not have to do so.
When the two investigators asked Kelly Hanson some additional questions, she told them “Jeffrey does not own firearms,” the warrant said. “Kelly stated she does not know what Jeffrey does throughout the day, while she is at work.”
Crespo checked the Firearms and Licensing Unit data base and learned Hanson does not have a pistol permit nor own any firearms.
When Hanson came to court Monday morning, Superior Court Judge Denise Markle imposed these conditions of release: that he have no weapons, firearms or ammunition and that he deactivate all social media accounts.
Markle scheduled Hanson’s next court appearance for Sept. 16.
Hanson’s attorney, Douglas Rudolph, said Hanson did not make a plea Monday to the charge.
Rudolph said he had no comment on the case because he needs more time to “wrap my head around this” and “get the lay of the land.” He said he doesn’t have all the information from the prosecution.
Rudolph said he informed Markle that Hanson already has deactivated all of his social media accounts. As for the condition that he surrender any firearms, Rudolph said Hanson “has none.”
Assistant State’s Attorney Stephanie Damiani, who represented the state Monday during Hanson’s appearance, referred all comments to Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney David Strollo. He noted Hanson is charged with a misdemeanor, not a felony.
However, the FBI is continuing to look into the case, so Hanson could face federal charges.
Moreover, New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes said during a news conference Saturday: “Whenever anyone threatens the safety of anyone, it’s something that’s a high priority. Especially with the climate today around the country, where hateful rhetoric has led to violence, we wanted to make sure that our public here in New Haven and the national public knew this was not something we were going to take lightly.”