A man from Wilbraham, Massachusetts, has been apprehended and charged with making violent threats on social media. Funwayo Mbilini Nyawo, who also goes by several aliases including "Jonathan Funwayo Nyawo," "Michael Jacobs," "Robert Jacobs," and "Carl Fields," faces one count of interstate transmission of threatening communications. He was detained in the Southern District of Florida and will appear in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts at a later date.
The charging documents allege that between July 30, 2024, and November 7, 2024, Nyawo posted threatening messages on X (formerly Twitter) and Google. His alleged targets included officials and their families, private individuals, children in Wilbraham and Boston, members of the Wilbraham Police Department, Wilbraham Fire Department, Miami Police Department (and their family members), shopping malls in Holyoke and Burlington, Massachusetts, as well as an elementary school.
Nyawo's threats reportedly involved explicit intentions to bomb or shoot his targets. On August 21, 2024, he allegedly posted: “wilbraham and boston: time for your children to die. […] The Wilbraham Police and Fire Department I’m going to kill their families next and make them watch before I kill them.” Another alleged post on September 27 threatened an elementary school with the message: “Torch it. Kill the kids,” accompanied by a photograph of the school.
Additionally, some posts were directed towards followers of ISIS and Al Qaeda or Muslim holy warriors known as mujahadeen. Between November 1-4, 2024, Nyawo allegedly urged attacks with messages such as: “ISIS: Attack Boston again;” “Start killing g [sic] the children of the Miami Police ISIS;” and “Mujahideen from around the world: Go to boston. Shoot to kill. Preferably their children.”
If convicted of interstate transmission of threatening communications, Nyawo could face up to five years in prison along with three years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000. Sentencing is determined by a federal district court judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen from the FBI's Boston Division; and J. Thomas Manger from the United States Capitol Police. Assistance came from Hampden County Sheriff’s Department along with Wilbraham and Miami-Dade Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow is prosecuting this case.
It is important to note that these details are allegations contained within charging documents; Nyawo remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.