(WWJ) A former Eaton County woman is facing the possibility of decades in prison and a quarter million dollar fine, if she is convicted of sending threats to the Republican Chairwoman of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers.
Kaitlyn Jones, 23, formerly of Olivet is charged with making threats against Chairwoman Monica Palmer in the wake of the election.
“There is simply no place in Michigan, or in the United States, for chilling threats like this to people who are just doing what they think is correct,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said in a release.
Prosecutors said Jones sent Palmer text messages that called her a “racist” and a “terrorist” and used “profane and graphic language.”
Jones also sent two photographs of a “bloody, naked, mutilated woman,” and then sent a picture of Palmer’s minor daughter, according to prosecutors.
Another chilling text from Jones followed: “I’d like you to imagine that’s your beautiful daughter…." Prosecutors said Jones referred Palmer’s daughter by name in the text after sending the gruesome pictures.
Prosecutors told WWJ Jones also targeted Palmer’s Instagram account.
Schneider described the threats as “horrifying and menacing” and so “extreme and graphic” he did not feel comfortable describing them out loud.
The threats came just days after Palmer and another person on the board initially refused to certify local results in favor of Joe Biden during a meeting on November 17. Explaining the reason for her initial no vote, Palmer cited a 71% precinct imbalance in the county — meaning the number of votes did not match up precisely with voter rolls.
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A Democrat on the board, however, argued that the imbalance would not change the election results.
Palmer later changed her position and signed a petition to seal the election results.
The Detroit Free Press reported Palmer said President Donald Trump called her to ‘make sure she was okay’ after the threats made against her and her family.
FBI agents arrested Jones in New Hampshire Thursday morning, where she was staying with her mother.
If convicted, Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison and an up to $250,000 fine.
“This attitude fans the flames….” Schneider said during a media conference. “For the sake of our state, our country, it’s time to stop. All of us need to be examples for the children and young adults of our state. We need to show it’s okay to disagree…we just need to do it respectfully.”
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