BUFFALO, N.Y. – An Olean man has been arrested and charged with making interstate threats to injure another person in commerce.
Luke Marshall Wenke, 29, of Olean, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making threats to injure another person in interstate commerce. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, Wenke’s acquaintance in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was arrested and charged federally with conspiracy to provide material support and resources to Hamas. Following this, Wenke began sending threatening communications via email and telephone to Victim 1, an attorney representing the individual arrested.
Wenke allegedly sent a series of threatening emails, including one on January 23, 2022, which stated in part: ‘I will gladly take a steel chair to your face until I get what I want here. You don’t respect me…but you will.’
Wenke also sent another email on January 24, 2022, which contained a photograph of Victim 1’s residence. The complaint states that Wenke believes Victim 1 is not appropriately representing the individual.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Wenke is being held pending a detention hearing today at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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