A Mayflower man is in jail after authorities say he threatened U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford with a militia and white supremacists.
James Powell, 43, faces one charge of first-degree terroristic threatening, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
The U.S. Capitol Police notified the FBI in Little Rock Sept. 24 of texted threats against Crawford that came in via a contact icon on the representative’s website, according to the affidavit for Powell’s arrest.
Crawford, a Republican, represents Arkansas' 1st Congressional District, covering the eastern part of the state. Mayflower is in Arkansas' 2nd Congressional District, covering the central part of the state.
Beginning Sept. 17, Powell sent 15 messages to the representative containing his “political grievances,” according to the affidavit, which he blamed on Crawford, other elected officials and the news media.
The phone number that sent the texts matched police records of Powell's number. The texts identified as criminally threatening were received Sept. 23.
“I am now contacting Malitia and white Supremacist. I don’t see why all death should be on your terms,” Powell wrote, according to court documents. “If it takes death to stop death, it will still be all your fault in the end.”
The text continues with Powell writing about the "media."
"When giving suggestions on targets, I'm going MEDIA first," he wrote. "Less security and all the blame."
Documents state Powell then threatened to start at the congressman’s house because “you need to feel our pain.”
A subsequent text stated “I’m not making idle threats. I want you to come after me.”
Faulkner County prosecuting attorney Carol Crews said Powell was not charged in connection to comments about the media, which were deemed unspecific, but rather only for threats against the congressman.
The next day, Powell sent another text stating he wouldn’t make any more threats.
“Infact I’m sorry,” he wrote, according to the affidavit. “That’s not who I am.”
He continued by saying he thought he would already have been “picked up,” by authorities and said “I will keep my oath to defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
“There is no greater enemy than a government that wont protect it’s own people,” he wrote. “No greater enemy than a government that wont listen to the people. The fight must go on.”
Online court records show Powell was booked into the Faulkner County jail around 8:10 p.m. Sept. 27. He is being held in lieu of $2 million bond.