Cape Cod Man Sent Bomb Threat To Arizona Election Official: DOJ

FALMOUTH, MA — A Falmouth man was arrested on Friday and charged with sending a bomb threat to an Arizona election official, the Department of Justice announced.

James Clark, 38, of Falmouth, made his first appearance at the federal courthouse in Boston on Friday, where he was charged with one count each of making a bomb threat, communicating an interstate threat and perpetrating a bomb hoax.

According to the indictment, around Feb. 14, 2021, Clark allegedly sent the following message, addressed to an election official, via the website contact form of the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office elections division:

“Your attorney general needs to resign by Tuesday February 16th by 9 am or the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated.”

Around the same time, Clark searched online for the address of the elections official, and also searched "how to kill" that official, the indictment said. Clark also searched the terms "fema boston marathon bombing" and "fema boston marathon bombing plan digital army."

If convicted, Clark faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for making the bomb threat and up to five years in prison for each of the counts on the bomb hoax and making a threatening interstate communication.

FBI Phoenix is investigating the case, with the assistance of the FBI's Lakeville, Massachusetts, office.

This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to "address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation."