A Milwaukee man faces 10 criminal charges, including nine felonies for making threats to a law enforcement officer after a number of his Facebook posts were uncovered by police.
Each of the nine felonies filed Wednesday against Edgar Tellez, 21, carries a fine of $10,000 and six years in prison. Tellez also is charged with a felony count of making a terrorist threat, which carries a fine of $10,000 and three years, six months in prison.
Tellez, who made his initial appearance Wednesday in Racine County Circuit Court, is being held in custody on a $10,000 bond.
According to the criminal complaint:
Investigators with the Racine County Sheriff’s Department found a number of threats made by the defendant on a Facebook page titled, “State of Wisconsin vs. James A. Barker III.”
The page included several photos of deputies and law enforcement administrators that had comments by the defendant, including a number where he suggests the officer should have his head cut off. In one, the defendant wrote, “Rape his wife and cut off her head and let him hold it.”
Tellez was taken into custody by the Milwaukee Police Department and transported to Racine County. He admitted to “trolling” on Facebook, seeing several pictures and commenting that their heads should be cut off. He also admitted to making the threat against one of the officer’s wife.
The defendant claimed he had no intention of carrying out the threats. The complaint also lists that his Facebook page contains a photograph of a dead law enforcement officer with a gunshot wound to his forehead.
Tellez is due back in court Aug. 16 for an 8:30 a.m. preliminary hearing.
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