Arizona man arrested for sending threatening messages to FBI

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — An Arizona man has been arrested and indicted by a grand jury for threats he made toward the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Ishmael Hart was indicted on Tuesday in federal court for interstate threatening communications for threats he made to the FBI.

According to investigators, Hart submitted multiple forms to the FBI National Threat Operations Center claiming the agency was following him and he would bring "karma to your whole organization." In another submission to the NTOC, Hart said, "I'm going to start killing you all. Only the bad."

Hart reportedly went to the FBI Phoenix Field Office on September 9 and 10 and "was irate with security and was reluctant to leave the property, and made statements related to being 'kidnapped.'"

Investigators said that on September 10, Hart was seen walking the perimeter of the secured portion of the Phoenix field office, standing by an entrance for vehicles, and walking through a wash near the complex.

Hart allegedly confirmed to agents he sent the threatening submissions to the threat center because "he was frustrated with the lack of response regarding his kidnapping allegations." Agents did not indicate whether there was any legitimacy to his allegations of kidnapping.

An agent noted in the criminal complaint that Hart was detained for a mental health petition in August 2023.

Hart is now the 88th person charged with interstate threatening communications, according to a preliminary review of data by The National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE) and Chapman University. The charge is commonly used for threats against a public or government official.

NCITE and Chapman University found the charge used against 90 people in 2023, a ten-year record.