Philadelphia man Edward Cieri Jr. is accused of threatening employees of the Montgomery County Republican Committee

WHITPAIN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WPVI) — A Philadelphia man was arrested for allegedly making threats against a Montgomery County Republican Committee employee and his office.

It happened just after 11:15 a.m. on Oct. 26 in Whitpain Township.

Police said they were called to the Montgomery County Republican Committee when an employee reported that a man had called the office and called him an insult.

The employee then reportedly taunted the caller, after which police said the suspect threatened to “shoot up” or “blow up the place.”

Whitpain Township police later traced the call to 39-year-old Edward Cieri Jr. of Philadelphia, investigators say.

Cieri was arrested and charged with threats to plant weapons of mass destruction, two counts of making terroristic threats and harassment.

“This defendant crossed the line into criminal behavior when he threatened to cause physical harm to a political staffer and threatened violence against a political office holder,” District Attorney Kevin Steele wrote in a statement. “We are committed to a fair, safe and free election, and all Montgomery County law enforcement agencies are committed to acting quickly to investigate any threats of violence related to this election and to arrest those involved.”