LANSING (WWJ) -- A Michigan prison inmate is facing a new charge over an alleged threatening letter he wrote to the governor while incarcerated.
The Michigan Attorney General's Office announced that 36-year-old Jihaad Ahmad was arraigned on Monday in Lansing’s 54-A District Court on one count of False Report or Threat of Terrorism in connection with an incident last spring.
It's alleged, according to the AG, that in response to being denied parole, Ahmad in May of 2024 sent a letter to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office in which he threatened the governor’s life and to bomb her residence when he was released from prison.
The Michigan State Police was provided the letter for investigation.
The charge against Ahmad is a felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
“Violence and violent rhetoric directed at elected officials pose significant threats to not only them but our democracy as a whole,” said Attorney General Dana Nessel, in a statement. “My department is committed to prosecuting this offense to the fullest extent of the law.”
Michigan Department of Corrections records show Ahmad is a repeat offender, currently serving a sentence of up to 22 years 6 months on a 2013 robbery conviction in Oakland County.
Ahmad remains imprisoned in the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia as he awaits his next court appearance set for Nov. 14.