Employees of Waco ABC affiliate KXXV started getting harassing and threatening phone calls from a local man who was angry the way the courts handled a child custody case involving his son.
Joe Frank Washington of Barry, Texas was arrested for retaliation on account of service after threatening two state district judges and station employees.
“The revolt starts right there, and it’s coming,” The Waco Tribune reports Washington said in one of the threatening and harassing phone calls he made to the station. “You’re about to lose some family members.
“I’m going to pray two of your staff’s children die,” Washington reportedly continued. “It’s gonna get ugly.”
Some of the threats included in the affidavit made specific mention of one reporter’s children.“What if they died? You never know what’s going to happen,” Washington allegedly said.
“Your children die too! Watch this! (Expletive) with my son? (Expletive) your judges! you’re going to find out something. Watch your children die,” he said, according to the affidavit.
Washington reportedly used “spoofed” phone numbers so that it would be more difficult to track.
The affidavit written by A.M. Whelchel, of the Waco Police Department, states, “The suspect made numerous phone calls to KXXV, where the volume and subject matter of his comments I believe leave no interpretation other than that he is communicating threats about the staff and Judge Menard and is doing so because of anger at Judge Menard over her handling of his child custody case.”
Washington is out of jail after posting $20,000 bond.