DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood greeted the man accused of threatening him online when the suspect arrived in Florida.
Chitwood said he wanted to see the look on Richard Golden’s face at when he walked off the plane at Orlando-Sanford International Airport on Monday.
“Hope you enjoy your stay, welcome to Florida,” Chitwood said as Golden, 38, followed an officer away from the sheriff.
Golden was arrested in his home state of New Jersey earlier this month and was extradited to Volusia County. He’s accused of making an online threat, telling people in a 4Chan forum to “put a bullet” in Chitwood’s head because of the sheriff’s aggressive stance against antisemitic activity in the county, including incidents in Daytona Beach during the Daytona 500 and in Ormond Beach last month.
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“(Detectives) discovered that he is anti-government, he’s anti-law enforcement, and like every other active shooter that we come across, is a marginalized member of society, who spends hours and hours and hours in these extremist chat rooms,” Chitwood said when he announced Golden’s arrest.
Chitwood said that he has been informed of several threats against him by law enforcement agencies, including a threatening phone call to his daughter and a swatting attempt against his parents.
Chitwood has also been criticizing antisemitic people on social media, where he has also been attacked. Chitwood blamed the anonymity of social media for proliferating extremism.
Golden’s first appearance before a Volusia County judge is expected to be Tuesday.
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