Wilbraham man arrested for violent threats towards private individuals and children

BOSTON — A Wilbraham man has been arrested after making violent threats on social media to certain officials and their families, private individuals, children, and sensitive locations such as shopping malls and an elementary school.

Funwayo Mbilini Nyawo, also known as “Jonathan Funwayo Nyawo,” “Michael Jacobs,” “Robert Jacobs,” and “Carl Fields,” 36, was charged with one count of interstate transmission of threatening communications.

Nyawo was arrested on Thursday, February 6, in Florida and was ordered to be detained until he could appear in federal court in Springfield.

Within the charging documents, posts from July 30 to November 7, 2024, showed various X posts made, displaying threatening language. Those threats, specifically made towards the children of Wilbraham and Boston; members of the Wilbraham Police Department, Wilbraham Fire Department, and the Miami Police Department (and their family members); shopping malls in Holyoke and Burlington, Mass.; and an elementary school, among others.

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In one of the photos, Nyawo allegedly posted: “wilbraham and boston: time for your children to die. […] The Wilbraham Police and Fire Department I’m going to kill their families next and make them watch before I kill them.” Nyawo also fixated on children, with another threat stated: “Torch it. Kill the kids,” followed by a photograph of the elementary school.

Nyawo also often referenced ISIS, Al Qaeda, and the Mujahadeen to strike areas in Massachusetts. In three straight posts on X, Nyawo stated: “ISIS: Attack Boston again;” “Start killing g [sic] the children of the Miami Police ISIS;” and “Mujahideen from around the world: Go to boston. Shoot to kill. Preferably their children.”

Nyawo’s charge of interstate transmission of threatening communication would give him a prison sentence of at least 5 years, following 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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