A Colorado Springs man was ordered by a federal judge Monday afternoon to be released to a halfway house on a $25,000 unsecured bond.
Jeremiah M. Perez, 33, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Boyd N. Boland for a preliminary hearing, where prosecutors made the case that he was a danger to the community and needed to be held without bail.
Boland instead ordered Perez be sent to a halfway house as soon as bed space becomes available. He was barred from having access to firearms or possessing and using marijuana.
The unsecured bond means that Perez agrees to appear before the court, and if he does not show up the $25,000 bond kicks in.
The FBI arrested Perez on Dec. 22 after officials at Google informed the agency they had found what they perceived to be a threatening comment posted in association with a YouTube video.
“SINCE DARREN WILSON our group has killed 6 retired sheriffs and cops……because of this event we will hunt two more in colorado this week…..for every innocent citizen that cops kill WE, VETERANS WILL KILL RETIRED HELPLESS COPS” the threat read.
“COPS ARE THE REAL ENEMIES OF FREEDOM LOVING AMERICANS,” the threat continued.
Darren Wilson was the Ferguson, Mo., police officer not indicted in the August shooting death of an unarmed black man.
The FBI determined that the threatening post came from an IP address in Colorado Springs from someone using the name “Vets Hunting Cops.” After an investigation and surveillance operation at Perez’s home, police linked him to the online posts.
If convicted, Perez faces up to five years in federal prison, and not more than a $250,000 fine for transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce.
