South L.A. Suspect Charged With Threats Against Sheriff’s Deputies
Federal Authorities arrested a South Los Angeles man Wednesday for allegedly making a series of online threats to kill law enforcement officers as well as others at the Inglewood Courthouse. The man was identified as John Patrice Hale. Hale used the online name “Frost K Blizzard” to make threats using techniques such as Tor and proxy servers designed to make his internet posts anonymous. The suspect appeared before a Federal judge in Los Angeles on Wednesday Afternoon where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. According to the indictment, Hale sent the online threats over several days in May 2017 to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that is stationed in the Inglewood Courthouse. The threats credited the Islamic State group, but authorities have not uncovered any evidence that links Hale with the international terrorist group according to investigators. Hale is set to go to trial in a couple of months where he will either be indicted or found innocent.