A Cortez man accused of making detailed death threats toward Colorado election officials, state judges and law enforcement on social media was arrested Friday and will appear in federal court Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Teak Brockbank, 45, was arrested on charges of transmitting interstate threats, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. If convicted, he would face a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Investigators allege Brockbank used two social media accounts to threaten Colorado and Arizona election officials between September 2021 and August 2022. Among the threats he allegedly made, Brockbank claimed it was “time” to put two state election officials to death and that he was obligated to “put a bullet” in the head of a Colorado state judge, said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
In August 2022, Brockbank also allegedly posted a message referring to election officials in Colorado and Arizona and stated: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. … This is our only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”
In another post made in October 2021, Brockbank threatened to use his rifle to shoot a Colorado judge in the head, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. In July 2022, he also threatened to shoot employees of the FBI, CIA and ATF who showed up at his house.
“Violent threats against public servants are a danger to our democracy and the arrest and charges announced today make clear that the Justice Department will see to it that perpetrators answer for their actions,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Monday.
Though Brockbank was previously convicted of a felony and is unable to legally possess firearms, investigators found several photos and videos of him owning firearms and ammunition, court documents stated.
The investigation into Brockbank was launched under the Justice Department’s task force designed to combat threats of violence against election workers and ensure that all election workers, whether elected, appointed or volunteer, are “able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation,” the U.S. attorney’s office said.
The task force, which was created in 2021, collaborates with election workers, state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers and investigates the cases with the FBI and U.S. attorney offices across the country.
Last year, a man who called the office of Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold to say that the “angel of death was coming for her in the name of Jesus Christ” was sentenced to two years of probation.