TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A former Indiana State University student was arrested in California after the FBI said he made numerous online threats to school officials, and local law enforcement.
According to court documents filed in the United States District Court Northern District of California, Nicholas Wheeler is accused of transmission of an extortionate threat to kidnap or injure a person, and transmission of a threat to kidnap or injure a person.
An affidavit filed in the case sheds light on some of the threats the FBI said Wheeler posted to X, formerly called Twitter. Those threats included mentions of owning multiple firearms and tactical gear like a bulletproof helmet and “level 4 body armor.” The threats were made between March 16 and March 19.
“Save all my tweets. I’ll be on the news in 72hours (sic) if I don’t get my money. My professors paid someone 50k to have me raped and castrated in my apartment to make me unfit for flight. They even locked me out of the flight academy at Indiana State University.”
Criminal complaint filed in court
Wheeler also used racial slurs in at least one post.
“Send me money. [name removed] nice car and house you got. I know your daughter [name removed] and how you were paid by (George) Soros or someone. Also how your son is in the Green Bay Packers. [name removed] harassing me over Telegram WhatsApp and Twitter. Having me harassed and raped,” another post reads.
An investigating FBI agent wrote that Wheeler tagged several people directly in a few of the threats as well.
“I’m coming back to Terre Haute. [3 names removed] Go ahead empty your life savings and send it to me. Ask the president of the university to do it also. I want everything you guys have. I’m coming for blood Indiana State University,” another threat read.
The affidavit adds that several victims in the case are local officials including two Vigo County attorneys, another who works in the Southern District of Indiana federal court system, and two more who work at ISU.
Police said Wheeler also texted one victim directly with threats that contained identical language to the tweets.
Terre Haute Police reportedly pinged a phone believed to belong to Wheeler and learned he was in Seaside, California. On March 20, Presidio of Monterey Police performed a wellness check at the residence and took Wheeler into custody for a 72-hour assessment. Police also seized six firearms from Wheeler’s residence at the time including a handgun that was in the background of a picture posted with one of the threats.
Federal court records show that Wheeler appeared in court and is scheduled for a psychological evaluation on April 19. A “Continued Detention Hearing/Status re Eval” is scheduled for April 23 at noon in San Jose courtroom 6.
Comments