A former Georgia poll worker told federal investigators he thought it was a voter who sent a written bomb threat to an election superintendent.
But the letter was found on Nicholas Wimbish’s computer, according to investigators. On Tuesday, the 25-year-old from Milledgeville was indicted, accused of mailing the letter that threatened to bomb a polling place and harm workers, and for lying to the FBI during the investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Wimbish is charged with mailing a bomb threat, conveying false information about a bomb threat, mailing a threatening letter and making false statements to the FBI. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the mailing a bomb threat count and five years in prison on each of the other charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Middle Georgia.
On Oct. 16, Wimbish was serving as a poll worker at the Jones County Elections Office, located about 90 miles southeast of Atlanta, when he had a verbal dispute with a voter, the indictment states.
That night, Wimbish allegedly researched what information about himself was publicly available, according to investigators. The next day, he is accused of mailing a letter to the elections superintendent stating it was from a “Jones County voter” who threatened poll workers.
The letter was written to make it appear it had come from the voter, stating that Wimbish had “give(n) me hell” and that Wimbish was “conspiring votes” and “distracting voters from concentrating.” Poll workers were urged to “look over their shoulder” in the letter, which also stated, “I know where they all live because I found home voting addresses for all them,” according to the indictment.
The letter concluded with a handwritten note that said: “PS boom toy in early vote place, cigar burning, be safe,” according to investigators.
Wimbish was arrested Nov. 4. The FBI is investigating the case.
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