U.S. Department of Justice Charges Two Men In Separate Cases for Threats Issued against Secretary of State Jena Griswold, Other Officials

Denver, October 23, 2024 - The U.S. Department pursued charges against two men, in two separate cases, for threats against Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. 

Today the United States District Court, District of Colorado, accepted a guilty plea from Teak Ty Brockbank for a charge of Threats in Interstate Commerce in United States of America v. Teak Ty Brockbank. Sentencing will be held on February 3, 2025.

Separately on Monday, October 21, the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, issued a superseding information against Richard Glenn Kantwill for charges of Threats in Interstate Commerce in United States of America v. Richard Glenn Kantwill. The case includes four charges of interstate transmission of threatening communication based on threatening communications made toward public figures in Florida with one new charge added this week concerning threats issued against Secretary Griswold earlier this year. 

Secretary Griswold has issued the following statement

“Threats of political violence towards election officials are unacceptable and must stop. I refuse to be intimidated and will continue to make sure every eligible Republican, Democrat, and Unaffiliated voter can make their voices heard in our elections. I appreciate law enforcement's efforts on these cases.”

Background on Brockbank Case 

In posts starting in 2022, Brockbank indicated that he would seek to execute Secretary Griswold and others. One threat specifically referenced Griswold’s role in addressing Tina Peters’ actions in compromising her voting equipment. Ms. Peters was sentenced to nine years of incarceration on October 3, 2024 for her role in facilitating the breach of her election equipment in Mesa County in 2021.

The criminal complaint also references Brockbank’s illegal possession of firearms. Brockbank was arrested on August 23, 2024 when Griswold was in the hospital for the birth of her son.

Background on Kantwill Case 

The threat against Secretary Griswold cited her as the “number 1 target” in a purported investigation conducted by Kantwill and included reference to targeted violence against her. It used racist, misogynistic, sexist and vulgar slurs. 

The threat was sent on February 9, 2024, the day following the U.S. Supreme Court’s hearing of Donald J. Trump v. Norma Anderson, et al. That case concerned whether the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution disqualified Donald Trump from appearing on Colorado’s Presidential Primary ballot because of his role in the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the United States Capitol. 

The Supreme Court ruled on March 4, 2024 that states do not have the authority to enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment against federal candidates before Congress acts. Trump was eligible to appear on Colorado’s ballot and votes cast from him in the March 5 Presidential Primary were counted. 

Since this case was filed in September of 2023, Secretary Griswold has received more than 1,000 violent threats or death threats.

Additional information

The charge for Threats in Interstate Commerce under 18 U.S.C. 875(c) has a statutory maximum sentence of five years, but the ultimate sentence the court will issue will be under the federal sentencing guidelines, which give a range of between 30 to 60 months in prison based on the overall conduct of the defendant.

At least two other individuals have been convicted for threats of violence toward Secretary Griswold.