S. Oregon man arrested for threats to YouTube workers, CEO
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The FBI has arrested a southern Oregon man who allegedly threatened to kill YouTube employees and specifically threatened the CEO of the company.
William Gregory Douglas, 35, of Cave Junction, faces charges of cyberstalking and transmission of threats in interstate commerce to injure another. The FBI says Douglas was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to appear before a federal judge on Monday.
Authorities said Douglas posted tweets, demanding a return of his channel and making threats. He referenced a shooting at YouTube’s California headquarters in April in which a woman wounded three people before killing herself. He allegedly posted a message to YouTube CEO Susan Diane Wojcicki, telling her he’s coming for her and that she should pray.
It was not immediately clear if Douglas has an attorney.
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FBI-Oregon news release:
FBI ARRESTS CAVE JUNCTION MAN ON CHARGES HE THREATENED YOUTUBE EMPLOYEES AND CEO
William Gregory Douglas, age 35, of Cave Junction, Oregon, is tentatively set to make his initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge on Monday, September 24, 2018, on charges that he threatened employees of YouTube. FBI Agents arrested Douglas outside a convenience store in Cave Junction on Thursday, September 20, 2018, without incident.
According to the criminal complaint filed in this case, Douglas started making threats online on August 23, 2018, using the alias “LiamXmaiLRevolutionX”. The criminal complaint alleges that Douglas posted a series of tweets that included language such as “I would kill the 100 YouTube employees,” “you want a bigger mass casualty aka shooting let’s see what I can do,” and “return my channel you low life Sholes before someone else comes and shoots more of your employees.” On September 17, 2018, LiamXmaiLRevolutionX posted a message to @SusanWojcicki: “Susan I’m coming for you today #pray.” Susan Wojcicki is the CEO of YouTube.
The complaint also details three videos in which the subject identifies himself as William Douglas. In those videos, he “provided long rants about the ‘Deep State’ and stated he has been ‘shadow-banned’ from YouTube, which he described as a government operation.” In one video, “he stated he has to go to Mountain View to ‘visit’ people at YouTube.” Approximately 700 people work at the YouTube premises in Mountain View, California.
Douglas faces charges of Cyberstalking and Transmission of Threats in Interstate Commerce to Injure Another.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and all defendants should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
