Mann is accused of threatening election officials and is expected to plead guilty

Teak Ty Brockbank, a Colorado man accused of making repeated threats against election officials, judges and law enforcement officials, is expected to plead guilty in federal court on Wednesday.

Brockbank, 45, has been in jail since his arrest on August 23 and is scheduled for a new hearing after previously pleading not guilty to one count of interstate threats.

His lawyer recently informed the court of his intention to change his plea.

Brockbank is accused of making threats against election officials

Brockbank is accused of making multiple threats against public officials, including Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and former Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who is now Arizona's governor.

According to court documents, Brockbank's threats date back to 2021, when he began expressing support for violence against officers.

In an August 2022 post, he allegedly referred to Griswold and Hobbs, stating, “Once these people are executed, the rest will melt like snowflakes and attack each other.”

Investigators launched an investigation into Brockbank after Griswold's office alerted federal authorities to threatening posts on Gab and Rumble, both social media platforms known for harboring right-wing extremism.

Weapons found in Brockbanks home

Brockbank, who is legally barred from owning firearms because of a felony conviction in Utah, was nonetheless arrested in August with multiple firearms, including a loaded one near his front door.

Prosecutors say Brockbank made additional threats in December 2023 after the Colorado Supreme Court removed former President Donald Trump from the state's primary. He allegedly sent a message to his stepfather saying that he would add the four judges who made this ruling to his “list.”

Prosecutors also say Brockbank threatened to use his rifle against a state judge overseeing his probation for a previous drunken driving conviction, calling the judge a “Nazi” in an October 2021 post. In July 2022, Brockbank announced that he would shoot any federal agent who showed up at his home without warning.

Election Threat Task Force Investigates Case

Brockbank's case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force, which was created in 2021 by Attorney General Merrick Garland to address the increase in threats against election workers and officials. The task force has prosecuted several cases, including the 2022 guilty plea of ​​a Nebraska man who threatened Griswold.

Brockbank's ongoing threats since 2021 highlight the ongoing dangers facing officials amid growing election security concerns.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press