Volume 38, Issue 12. Today is
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Volume 38, Issue 12. Today is
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MCC student accused of threatening to kill ArpaioBY JORDAN CURRIER
MCC student Anthony David Chos, 23, was arrested outside the Paul A. Elsner Library on April 2 by sheriff’s deputies and faces two felony charges of stalking and one charge of harassment for death threats made against Arpaio. Chos also allegedly sent e-mail to KPNX-TV’s website, threatening to kidnap, rape and kill a reporter from that station if his intentions to harm Arpaio weren’t made public by the media. The reporter asked that her name not be used. "I’m being more aware of my surroundings," the reporter said, who was threatened by name in e-mails sent to the news station. "I know who he is, and knowing he’s in jail is comforting."
"The e-mails were coming into the mailbox on our website," said Lisa Allen, director of Public Information for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. "There are a number of people in jail right now for making threats against (Arpaio’s) life. His staff keeps asking him over and over again to consider bodyguards, and at this point he is still saying no," Allen said. As many as five e-mails were sent, and employees in MCC’s Information Technology Office can confirm two e-mails that were traced to a specific computer in the southeast corner of the library. In cooperation with MSCO detectives, Public Safety and Information Technology employees were able to trace Chos’ destination in the library by checking MCC’s IP address log and verifying the computer’s hardware address. The MSCO also installed a temporary surveillance camera and notified library employees of the investigation, which lasted approximately seven days. Two Apple Macintosh computers that Chos allegedly sent e-mails from were confiscated by MSCO detectives, and have yet to be returned, said Ron Etter, Dean of Administrative Services. "I’m going to kill Joe Arpaio because of his success," an e-mail stated. "I’m going to use a rocket launcher so they can’t find me." Chos also threatened to kidnap and murder Arpaio’s children and grandchildren, and specified that he was sending the e-mail from MCC’s library. "Your Sheriff Joe is a dead man," another e-mail stated. "I am going to say this again – I am going to kill Joe Arpaio for real. It will happen. I will be history for doing this." "Sheriff Joe, your funeral is already planned," another e-mail stated. Chos was arrested for one count of assault in 1997, said Detective Bill Knight, Public Information Officer for the MCSO. Details of that arrest were not available. As yet, Chos’ motive remains unclear. MCC student MacKenzie Kriel attended Mountain Pointe High School with Chos, and said she observed him many times alone. "He went to football games by himself and he’d always be walking around by himself," Kriel said. "He went to lunch by himself; he went to pep rallies by himself – he always wanted to be involved." According to Allen, the threats to Arpaio’s life are fairly uncommon and have not prompted him to take on any added security. "(Arpaio’s) staff keeps asking him to consider bodyguards, and at this point he is still saying no," Allen said. Chos is in the Madison Street Jail in Phoenix and faces up to seven years in prison if convicted. His bail has been set at $150,450. |
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