New York man charged with sending threats to state attorney general and judge in Trump civil suit

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York man has been charged with sending death threats to the state attorney general and the Manhattan judge who presided over former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud case.

Tyler Vogel, 26, of Lancaster, sent text messages late last month threatening New York Attorney General Letitia James and Judge Arthur Engoron with “death and physical harm” if they did not comply with his demands to “cease action” in the Trump case, according to a complaint filed last week in a court in Lancaster, a suburb east of Buffalo.

State police said in the complaint that Vogel used a paid online background website to obtain private information about James and Engoron and that this “confirmed intentions to follow through with the threats were his demands not met.”

Vogel has been charged with two felony counts of making a terroristic threat and two misdemeanor counts of aggravated harassment.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn’s office said in a news release that a temporary protection order was also issued. If convicted, Vogel faces a maximum of seven years in prison, the office said.

It’s unclear if Vogel has legal representation. Joseph Spino, a spokesperson for Flynn’s office, said Wednesday night that he didn’t have more details, other than that Vogel had been held pending the results of a forensic exam and was due back in court April 9.

The case also wasn’t listed on the state’s online court database and spokespersons for the state police and Lancaster Town Court, where Vogel was arraigned last week, didn’t respond to emails.

Meanwhile Trump, who is running again for president this year, posted a $175 million bond Monday in the civil fraud case brought by James’ office. That halted the collection of the more than $454 million he owes and prevented the state from seizing his assets to satisfy the debt while he appeals.

Trump is fighting to overturn Engoron’s Feb. 16 finding that he lied about his wealth as he fostered the real estate empire that launched him to stardom and the presidency. The trial focused on how Trump’s assets were valued on financial statements that went to bankers and insurers to get loans and deals.

Spokespersons for James’ office didn’t respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.