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MARQUETTE -- Federal authorities have accused a Pickford man of threatening violence against Jews and wanting to carry out a mass shooting.
Seann Pietela, 19, was arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and charged in a criminal complaint with transmitting a communication containing a threat to injure another, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced Friday.
"Antisemitic threats and violence against our Jewish communities -- or any other group for that matter -- will not be tolerated in the Western District of Michigan," Totten said. "Today and every day we take all credible threats seriously. I'm incredibly grateful to the FBI for their swift action to identify and arrest Pietela."
As outlined in the complaint, Pietela reportedly communicated with others on Instagram views that had a neo-Nazi ideology, antisemitism, glorification of past mass shooters and a desire and intent to mimic past mass shooters or mass casualty events, according to a news release from Totten's office.
Pietela's home was searched early Friday, with law enforcement seizing ammunition, magazines, a shotgun, a rifle, a pistol, various knives, firearms accessories, tactical vests, mask, a Nazi flag, a ghillie suit, gas masks and military sniper/survival manuals.
Also seized was Pietela's phone, and in the notes app, he had identified a particular synagogue in East Lansing, a date, and a list of equipment, the news release states.
The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office, TRI-county Drug ENforcement Team (TRIDENT), Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET) and Michigan State Police Emergency Services Team assisted the FBI with this case.