Columbus man pleads guilty to threatening to kill federal agents on social media
Justin Mesael Novoa, 21, admitted to two federal crimes in a plea entered before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 31, 2026, 4:14 p.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 31, 2026, 4:14 p.m. ETFirst report
Columbus man pleads guilty to threatening to kill federal agents on social media
A Columbus man pleaded guilty in federal court on August 31, 2026, to threatening on social media to kill federal immigration agents, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
Justin Mesael Novoa, 21, admitted to two federal crimes: threatening to assault or murder a federal law enforcement officer and making threatening interstate communications. According to charging documents, in June 2025 Novoa allegedly posted on X: "they should blast every ice agent they find," and in November 2025 posted "can't wait to shoot these p*y ice agents and r****d maga maggots." He used the screennames "Lord of Frenzied Flame" and "Father2High."
Federal agents executed a search warrant at Novoa's residence in December 2025 and seized multiple firearms, including two rifles, two shotguns and one handgun, as well as ammunition, two military-style helmets and a body armor vest. Novoa was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in January and indicted by a federal grand jury in February.
Threatening to kill a federal officer carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, and making threatening interstate communications carries up to five years. Sentencing will be determined by the Court at a future hearing. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II and Jared Murphey, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Detroit.
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- Version 131 Aug 2026, 20:22current
First published.
- Version 131 Aug 2026, 20:14current
First published.
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