Colorado man charged with threatening public officials online

This still image from a 2020 video of Teak Brockbank firing a weapon appears in a U.S. criminal complaint against Brockbank.

U.S. officials charged a Cortez man with making interstate threats against election officials and others in Colorado and Arizona.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Monday that it arrested Teak Brockbank, a 45-year-old Cortez resident, after he allegedly made detailed threats against election officials, judges and law enforcement officers online between September 2021 and August 2022.

“Violent threats against public servants are a danger to our democracy, and the arrest and charges announced today make clear that the Justice Department will see to it that perpetrators answer for their actions,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

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The complaint alleges Brockbank posted on two social media platforms — Rumble, a video platform similar to YouTube, and Gab, a platform similar to X — claiming elections officials need to be “put to death” and threatening to use a rifle to kill a Colorado judge. In another post, Brockbank allegedly threatened to shoot any federal agents that may arrive at his residence.

“I’ll truly believe there is no other way to fix this mess in Colorado and places like Arizona without executing these evil people,” one of the posts says.

The complaint also says Brockbank was convicted of a felony in Utah and therefore is barred from owning firearms but has a history of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, according to photos recovered under a search warrant. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Denver Field Office is investigating the case and is seeking to detain Brockbank until trial, as he “poses an imminent risk” to others given the violent nature of the allegations.

“Public servants must be able to do their jobs without fear,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri said in a statement. “The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who target public officials with threats of violence.”

The initial complaint was redacted to protect the identities of the victims allegedly threatened by Brockbank.

If convicted, Brockbank could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Brockbank appeared in federal court in Durango Monday, and is scheduled to return Wednesday for preliminary and detention hearings.

The case is part of the U.S. Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was established to investigate threats against election workers.

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