A Florida man is facing federal charges after he apparently posted a comment on the JAABlog threatening to kill Broward State Attorney Mike Satz and some judges.
Feds arrested Mark Robert Hillstrom, 59, on December 18 after it was uncovered that he was the one who left the comments on the JAABLOG, a blog that covers the Broward County courthouse.
According to the Sun Sentinel, Hillstrom logged into the comment section of the blog under the name "Rouge asa will die." (ASA being an abbreviation for "assistant state attorney").
He then left a comment:
"By the end of this year a rouque [sic] asa will be executed for his abuse of prosecutorial power that hurt my kids and ruined my life. His kids will be spared but he has to much power to be left to his sma [sic] minded sick decptions [sic] to get convictions and further his career. He will be accompained [sic] by current and former judges who abused their judicial power to destroy good lives and decent people. Mike Satz goes first."
An unidentified person spotted the threatening comment and reported it to law enforcement officials.
The FBI then moved in and got a subpoena to identify the computer that was used.
The feds tracked the computer down to a home in Boca Raton. Hillstrom was reportedly staying there while dog-sitting for a friend.
According to the feds, Hillstrom was intoxicated and refused to allow them to check the home's computers. Feds had to contact the homeowner, who also initially refused to let them check the computers. But the homeowner eventually relented a few days later.
At the time feds spoke with Hillstrom, he told them that he had bipolar disorder. The following day, he tried to hang himself, according to the Sun Sentinel.
Hillstrom has a history of arrests and mental health problems. According to the report, he had sent numerous threatening emails, as well as angry voicemail messages for a prosecution's secretary between 2007 and 2012.
Between 2003 and 2007, a forensic psychologist who conducted mental health evaluations on Hillstrom diagnosed him with bipolar disorder and antisocial disorder as well as alcohol dependency.
The same psychologist was forced to get a restraining order on Hillstron after receiving threats on his voicemail.
Hillstrom appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Seltzer in federal court in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday.
The judge ordered that Hillstrom remain locked up pending a bond hearing next week.
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