6-3-22 fdl county man charged with making terrorist threats

A Taycheeda man has been charged with making terrorist threats for allegedly threatening  to shoot lawmakers if they pass a bill allowing teachers to be armed with firearms.  James Stearns made his initial Fond du Lac Court appearance Thursday and bail was set at $4,000 cash with conditions including no contact with a lawmaker, use of the internet or possession of dangerous weapons.  According to a criminal complaint Stearns said if the bill passed he would “shoot as many of the people who vote for this law as he can before someone shoots him.”   Stearns said arming teachers and administrators would be the “worst possible thing our country and state would ever see”   and he was more than willing to  “go down in a blaze of glory,” according to the complaint.  Stearns also sent an email to an unnamed lawmaker threatening to quote “hunt you down and your family like animals.”   District Attorney Toney stated “Political disagreement is healthy but we will never tolerate threats of violence, whether directed at our schools, students, government, groups, or individuals in our community.  We will seek to hold those accountable that seek to intimidate, create fear or disrupt our communities through threats of violence.”