Tyler Newkirk, a Penn Yan local, accepted a plea deal on Tuesday in Yates County Court after threatening U.S. military installations and advocating for the violent overthrow of local, state, and federal governments.
District Attorney Todd Casella confirmed that Newkirk pleaded guilty to a felony of making a terroristic threat.
State Supreme Court Justice Jason Cook sentenced Newkirk to the 65 days he had already served in jail since his arrest and an additional five years of probation.
Newkirk’s social media activity included calls for attacks on military personnel, government officials, local law enforcement, and banks. He even suggested public beheadings of those opposing his objectives. Despite these threats, Dunham noted that there’s no evidence to suggest Newkirk possessed the resources to execute any large-scale attack or collaborated with others.
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