FBI agents, with the assistance of the Albany Police Department, arrested David Scott Ryder, age 64, this morning on charges of interstate transmission of a threat and stalking. The arrest, based on a criminal complaint, involved threats allegedly made to an Oregon public official.
The threats included three emailed messages between August 10, 2021, and August 23, 2021. They also included a voicemail left on an office phone on August 23, 2021.
Some of the statements included:
- “… all the people that won’t get your FAKE [expletive] vaccine are the same ones who you will see hang you in a public place for crimes against America. Resign today!!!”
- “I wish you would show your face you punk! I’d take your WORTHLESS SOUL from you. [Expletive] ALL DEMOCRAT COMMUNISTS like you. Resign today! I’d love to get my [expletive] hands around your neck SCUM!!!”
- “… if you don’t call me back, I’m going to start sending threats and then we’ll get some of your [expletive] little cop friends down here to see me and I’m going to [expletive] kill them. They come in my [expletive] yard. Anybody from the state or federal come in my yard, I’ll kill them.”
Ryder made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge today. The judge ordered him released pending further court proceedings.
“Threats of any kind against a public official are not acceptable in this country,” said Kieran L. Ramsey. “Anyone who has information about threatened criminal activity or violence should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.”
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.