Alabama man sentenced to prison for online threats against Arizona election workers

PHOENIX – An Alabama man was sentenced to 2.5 years behind bars on Monday for making online threats toward Arizona election workers two years ago, authorities announced.

In addition to a 30-month prison sentence, 60-year-old Brian Jerry Ogstad was ordered pay a $1,000 fine and undergo three years of supervised release after he serves his time.

Ogstad, a resident of Cullman in northern Alabama, pleaded guilty in July to one count of making a threatening interstate communication, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

He faced a maximum prison sentence of five years.

What did Alabama man say in online threats?

Prosecutors said Ogstad started sending the online threats to the Maricopa County Elections Department Instagram account on Aug. 2, 2022, the day of Arizona’s midterm primary election. He continued making online threats until Aug. 4.

Here is a selection of what he said in the posts, according to prosecutors:

• You did it! Now you are [expletive]. Dead. You will all be executed for your crimes.
• [expletive] you! You are caught! They have it all. You [expletive] are dead.
• You are lying, cheating [expletive] . . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are [expletive] stupid if you think your lives are safe.
• You [expletive] are so dead.
• [Y]ou people are so ducking [sic] stupid. Everyone knows you are lots [sic], cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang [expletive]!

The case was investigated by the FBI Phoenix field office with help from the Birmingham office.

The incident is one of several involving online threats made against Arizona election workers and officials in recent years.

“In this election season we honor and respect those public servants who enable Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino said in a press release. “And we seek to protect all election workers from intimidation and harassment. Threats of violence, whether conveyed by words or deeds or pictures, will be met in this district with robust prosecution.”

Related

Experienced federal prosecutor assigned to oversee Election Day allegations in ArizonaArizona Supreme Court orders judges to expedite cases involving upcoming electionColorado man accused of making online threats to kill Arizona election officialsClint Hickman says threats deterring Arizonans from seeking officePedestrian dead after getting hit by vehicle in PhoenixPhoenix stabbing victim hospitalized in critical condition, suspect detained