U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was in Tampa on Friday to announce the arrest of a California man on charges he sent a threatening letter to a conservative commentator.
George Russell Isbell Jr., 69, of San Diego, faces a charge of mailing a threatening communication, according to a U.S. Department of Justice release.
“We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer," said Bondi at the news conference, which was also attended by Gregory W. Kehoe, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw, and representatives from the FBI.
"This arrest will serve as a reminder to many – do not do this, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
According to the release, Isbell mailed a letter on Sept. 18 from San Diego to Benny Johnson, a media personality who's based in Tampa.
The letter referenced Charlie Kirk, a friend of Johnson's who was assassinated a week earlier in Utah, and made graphic references to wanting to kill Johnson.
"The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny because of his views, and he wanted Benny dead," Bondi said
Isbell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted.
