San Diego man charged with mailing death threat to media personality in Florida

SNA DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- A San Diego man has been federally charged for allegedly mailing a violent threat to a media personality in Florida, according to a criminal complaint unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday.

George Russell Isbell Jr., 69, was arrested on Oct. 7 in San Diego and is facing a federal charge of "mailing a threatening communication."

Federal investigators say Isbell mailed a letter from San Diego on or around Sept. 18 targeting a media figure in Tampa, Florida. According to court documents, the letter included explicit threats to injure and kill the recipient and referenced conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who had recently been killed during a public appearance on a college campus.

In the letter, Isbell allegedly told the victim they needed “to be exterminated,” and went on to write, “Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”

“This coward hiding behind a keyboard was taken into custody and charged federally,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a statement. “We cannot allow this political violence to continue. This arrest should serve as a reminder — do not do this. We will find you and bring you to justice.”

FBI Director Kash Patel echoed the sentiment, saying the agency “will not tolerate threats of violence like the kind allegedly made by the defendant about a media personality.”

U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida noted the broader concerns over the rise in political violence. “We take all threats of violence seriously and will continue to respond in close coordination with our law enforcement partners,” he said.

If convicted, Isbell faces up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing would be determined by a federal judge, taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory factors.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Tampa Field Office and Tampa Police Department, with support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and multiple San Diego-based agencies, including the FBI San Diego Field Office, San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities remind the public that a criminal complaint is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.