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Ohio man accused of making threats against an Arizona elections official

A federal grand jury indicted an Ohio man accused of calling in death threats against an election official with the Arizona Secretary of State's Office.

Federal prosecutors in Arizona say that Joshua Russell, 44, called an unnamed election official three different times since last summer, leaving threatening messages each time. Russell called the official a terrorist, said they had quote signed their own death warrant and warned the person to turn themselves in or they would quote see you to your grave. He was arrested Monday.

The case is being taken up by the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force which was formed in the summer of 2021 after Republican candidates for office started making unfounded claims of election fraud. 

Russell is charged with six counts related to the threatening calls and faces a maximum 21 years in prison.

Fronteras Desk senior editor Michel Marizco is an award-winning investigative reporter based in Flagstaff.