Cops and Courts

Morgantown man facing charges for threats against family court staff

A Morgantown man is facing criminal charges after allegedly making threats against a Monongalia County Family Court Judge and court staff.

Last week on Dec. 19 and Dec. 22, Morgantown Police received two anonymous tips that Emmanuel Jones, 35, of Morgantown, had made several posts on Facebook containing threats against the Mon County Family Court staff and specifically mentioning Judge Randal A. Minor.

According to a criminal complaint, one of the anonymous callers was able to provide officers with screenshots of five Facebook posts allegedly made by Jones containing the threats.

Officers reported the first of these posts stated, “Today might be my last day on Earth if the family court system keep doing me dirty … I’m going all out I have nothing else to loose (sic).”

“Family court turns men like me into people like this … and I’m not going out by myself,” a second post said.  

“Family court is evil and I’m out to get my revenge on these people … they just created a monster,” said another.

The last two posts, allegedly made on Dec. 22 said, “Family court is evil and I’m out to get my revenge on these people” and “What’s about to [happen] is from the result of Family court Racist Randal Minor.”

According to the complaint, all of the posts were accompanied by an attached photo of John Allen Muhammed, otherwise known as the D.C. Sniper, who was convicted and sentenced to death for killing 10 people in 2002.

It is unclear what plans, if any, Jones had made in relation to the posts or whether he had intended to follow through with the threats. Investigators were not available Tuesday for additional comment. 

According to court records, Jones pleaded not guilty to one count of making threats of terroristic acts and one count of retaliation against public officers during an arraignment hearing Dec. 24.

Jones is currently being held at North Central Regional Jail on $20,000 bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 3.