A U.S. expatriate who lives in Thailand was arrested when he went home after giving threats to a U.S. Senator and Marines.
FBI arrested a U.S. expatriate after giving threats to a U.S. Senator and Marines. (Photo: Yahoo)
U.S. Expatriate Was Arrested
A U.S. expatriate identified as Eric Charles Welton, 51 years old, was arrested on Thursday. He was accused of threatening a Republican lawmaker, Marines, and other staff working at the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in late 2022.
In a published article in FOX News, Welton was arrested on Thursday when he went home to the U.S. from overseas. The FBI Charlotte and FBI Atlanta Special Agents confirmed and said that the U.S. expatriate was arrested at Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI Charlotte, said, “It is unacceptable to make violent threats against anyone. And when threats are directed at elected officials or members of the armed forces it can impact their ability to serve our country effectively.”
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Criminal Complaint Against the U.S. Expatriate
According to a published report in CNN News, Welton harrassed and intimidated the Republican Senator and the staff in 2021 after he received unsolicited political emails. He spoke to one of the staff members in North Carolina and said that he would show up to the office and put a bullet throuogh each of their heads.
Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said, “Our elected representatives and the public servants who staff their offices must be free to do the people’s work without threats of violence. Violent threats against our democratically elected representatives do not just erode our civil discourse – they can undermine our democracy. We will hold accountable anyone who threatens violence targeting our bedrock institutions.”
Furthermore, Welton is facing with one count of threatening a federal official and he could also face additional charges. Once convicted, he will face 10 years in prison.
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