Austin Mitchel Fitch, aka Jakob Enderson, 29, of Macon, Georgia, is headed to federal prison for 34 months after pleading guilty to sending death threats and attempting to extort money through Facebook. The former Phoenix, Arizona resident admitted to targeting two individuals in April 2022 with menacing messages that crossed the line from online bluster to federal crime.
Fitch was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell, who ordered the 34-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Fitch pleaded guilty to two counts of sending threatening communications via interstate commerce and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort—charges that carry serious consequences when social media becomes a weapon.
On April 28, 2022, a victim reported to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) that he had received death threats from a Facebook user named Jakob Enderson. That same day, a second person reported identical threats from the same account. The FBI issued an exigent emergency request to Meta, which quickly traced the account to Fitch. The following day, agents confronted him—and he admitted making the threats, claiming he believed they were protected under the First Amendment.
Agents immediately corrected Fitch: death threats are not free speech. They are crimes. But instead of backing down, Fitch doubled down. After being warned, he reinitiated contact with both victims, sending additional threats and attempting to extract money—crossing clearly into extortion. His digital trail sealed his fate.
“Death threats and extortion are not constitutionally protected speech. There are repercussions for those who threaten to harm and blackmail people through social media,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to commend FBI’s National Threat Operations Center for its work in this case and its continued efforts to protect our citizens from harm.”
Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, added: “No one should have to face threats and extortion in person or through social media. Thanks to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center, Austin Fitch will no longer be able to make threats. This case is a warning to others who want to use social media as their weapon of choice.” The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Keyes.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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