Hastings man is accused of threatening to kill an officer by repeatedly sending a message to a civilian worker

A Hastings man has been charged after he reportedly threatened to kill an officer after his phone was seized during the execution of a search warrant.

30-year-old Nathan Ray Justice is facing threats of violence in one case. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

According to a criminal complaint, Justice's phone was seized during the execution of a search warrant in August. The phone was sent to the Electronic Crimes Unit for forensic examination.

Justice began sending emails and text messages from his phone to the Hastings Police deputy chief and was told it would take several weeks to process.

Court documents say the judiciary's messages became increasingly mundane. On October 22, he called the deputy head and threatened to kill her. He continued to call her.

Justice also called a civilian employee of the Electronic Crimes Unit, and authorities are unsure how he got their direct line. He was reportedly blasphemous and demanded his phone back.

He has since left another mundane voicemail and contacted the employee on her personal LinkedIn.

Recently, a court document tagged the city of Hastings in several Facebook posts saying it “didn't have to come to this” and that he was “on his way.”