42-year-old Michigan man arrested for death threat to FBI director Kash Patel

A 42-year-old Michigan man has been arrested and charged with threatening to kill FBI Director Kash Patel, US Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced.Anthony Daniel Palazzolo, of Chesterfield Township in Macomb County, was taken into custody on Friday following an investigation by the FBI. He faces a federal charge of transmitting threatening communications across state lines.According to the complaint, Palazzolo sent a Facebook message to an associate, identified in court documents as Victim-1, on October 8. He allegedly claimed to have “put a hit out” on the individual and added that Patel was a “dead mf too”.The complaint also details further threats allegedly made after FBI agents interviewed Palazzolo. He reportedly continued contacting a Detroit-based FBI agent by phone, threatening to visit the office and use “deadly force against every single one of you government officials”.The message also referred to FBI and Secret Service personnel, threatening that they would all be killed.Federal authorities said Palazzolo appeared in Detroit federal court on Friday and was temporarily detained. A detention hearing has been scheduled for November 2.The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison if he is convicted.The FBI's investigation also found that Palazzolo had a criminal record involving previous cases in Michigan, Texas and Florida. His reported history includes a 2018 charge related to falsely reporting a terrorist threat and a separate case involving an alleged fake bomb threat.Palazzolo's arrest follows another case involving threats against Patel's personal circle. Earlier this year, federal agents arrested 26-year-old Alden Welch Ruml of Massachusetts over alleged threatening emails sent to Patel's girlfriend, Alex Wilkins. Court documents said one message threatened severe violence against her. Ruml was charged with making threats in interstate commerce.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.