A Jeannette man was arrested Thursday in connection with a federal indictment that accused him of threatening to shoot Federal Bureau of Investigation agents who were looking into reportedly concerning posts on his Facebook page.
On Wednesday, FBI task force officers and an agent went to Dale Ankney’s home to talk to him about the posts, according to the indictment. When the 72-year-old man was asked to stop posting threatening language, agents said he directed them to leave and threatened to “cap” them.
“Based upon training and experience, your affiant knows that ‘cap’ is commonly used as a slang term for shooting a firearm,” the indictment states.
Investigators learned through a state police database that Ankney has firearms registered to him.
They returned to Ankney’s home Thursday morning and arrested him.
“Threats against those who protect this nation and those who serve the public will not be tolerated,” FBI Pittsburgh special agent in charge Richard Evanchec said in a statement. “Words that cross the line well beyond First Amendment protections will be met with decisive law enforcement action.”
Ankney is charged with influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal law enforcement officer by threat.
The complaint listed 10 posts on Ankney’s Facebook page since January deemed threatening, including seven that referenced killing agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh requested Ankney be detained pending trial, according to court filings.
He was ordered to be temporarily committed during an initial appearance Thursday afternoon and a detention hearing is scheduled for June 26.