A Cortez man who faces federal charges for allegedly threatening election officials, law-enforcement agents, and others is scheduled for a detention hearing on Wednesday.
Forty-five-year-old Teak Ty Brockbank made an initial appearance Monday in the federal courthouse in Durango and was charged with transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Online activity can be considered to be interstate.
He allegedly made numerous threatening posts on the conservative-leaning social-media sites Gab and Rumble from September 2021 through August 2022. The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court lists numerous posts by a Rumble user with the user name TEAKTY4U who is believed to be Brockbank. The posts contain multiple typos, punctuation errors, and misspellings. The names of the threatened individuals have been redacted from the affidavit.
The affidavit says that on or about October 2, 2021, that this particular Rumble user posted: “The judge making the decisions for Montezuma County in Colorado… Cortez Communist Colorado is a Nazi. Probably doesn’t even know that he is a fascist but a fascist he is to the letter…. What can I do to stop this MAN that has been Told he is violating our Constitution. More and more and more as time goes on. but then tries to say O He was given the power to violate our Constitution by Congress!!!!!!! I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . .i’ve watched been going on and what is going on in our community . We know what he is doing and We know what he is??? What can I do other than kill this man my self? No one will do it for me I do live in Communist Colorado… WWG1WGA.” That acronym is associated with the group QAnon.
On or about July 24, 2022, the same user allegedly posted: “I’ll truly believe there is no other way to fix this mess in Colorado and places like Arizona without executing these evil people. The people have to take matters into their own hands. People like the [redacted] the [redacted] have to be put to death. Not to court trials and crooked judges Incompetent law-enforcement. . . .”
Brockbank lived in Arizona before moving to Cortez, according to different reports.
The affidavit cites numerous other posts on the same Rumble account. One, on or about Nov. 11, 2022, said, “A reporter walked up on [redacted] yesterday while she was eating lunch she was so scared out of her mind she made a scared noise and spilled her drink all over the place because she was so shaken up. She was not scared like that because of a reporter wanting to ask her questions she thought someone was walking up to kill her!!! Because she knows what she has done and is doing with people like the sheriff deserves the death penalty!! [redacted] and people like her like this sheriff know that we the people have every right to walk up to one of them and execute them for their actions. They know it!!!”
The affidavit says that on Aug. 4, 2022, the same user responded to someone else’s post by saying, “People just like [redacted] and [redacted] Our communist!! They are bought and paid for by people like George Soros Mark Zuckerberg and they’re like!! What these people are doing is treason subversion of the American people’s will!! There is no other answer but to execute these people for their actions!! There has to be accountability or this country is lost.”
On the same day, the same user reportedly posted, “But we the people that know the truth of things need to go get those that we know that are guilty. People like [redacted]. . .: Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other and we will just sit back why the worst of them get pointed out and we put them against the wall as well... MARK MY WORDS.. This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all Are going to do!!!!! It is time. . .”
The affidavit also cites posts on Gab that the investigation linked to Brockbank. One on Sept. 22, 2021, said (reportedly in response to a different post about someone purportedly destroying election data, “I live in Communist Colorado and this Crazed liberal and many others in Communist Colorado needs to- No has to Hang she has to Hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead. There will be accountability for these peoples actions in Communist Colorado and it won’t be judges and it won’t be weakmided [sic] cops that bring it!!! It will be Me it will be You it Will be every day people that understand that there life does not matter anymore with the future our country has laid out before it by Robber Barons/Unelected Bureaucrats/ Libtards. . . .”
On the same day, according to the affidavit, the Gab user alleged to be Brockbank posted, “I live in Communist Colorado. [Redactd] and many others have to HANG. These people have to hang by the neck till they are Dead Dead Dead . . . No One else is going to do it for us we will have to do it ourselves!!!!! Grow some balls realize that your future is screwed anyways but you can make it better for others . . . Mark My Words.”
On July 20, 2022, a Gab post by the same user threatened law-enforcement agents, according to the affidavit. It said, “ATF CIA FBI show up to my house I am shooting them peace’s of shit first No Warning!! Then I will call the sheriff!!! With everything that these piece of shit agencies have done I am completely justified to just start dropping them as soon as they step on my property!”
Brockbank, a convicted felon, also has a lengthy history of illegally possessing firearms, the affidavit states, “which can be evidence relevant to an intent or ability to carry out threats of lethal force. . . .”
Brockbank was convicted of attempted theft by receipt of stolen property in Utah, a felony, in 2002, the document says. Felons are not allowed to own firearms, but the affidavit cites photos and videos indicating he does.
Brockbank’s threats included texts, according to the affidavit. He allegedly sent out a group text message on Nov. 12, 2021, in which he called for people to be “put down” and to “leave the earth.”
The text reportedly read, “There has to be accountability. We the People in this country are at Fault. There are three letter agencies that have been and are doing and getting away with this crazy shit. Crazy Shit.. in our country under our watch. Patriots have to rise up and bring accountability to these fuckn trash people. Hand it out swiftly and without mercy. Nobody should care what their reasons are or why they think they should have done it. The fact is they did it and are still at it.. destroying our nation and going against everything it stands for. The only way forward is for all of them to be put down!!! They have to leave this earth immediately. These weak minded foolish people have to go explain themselves to our creator. Why those of us that understand all of this shit going on need to stick around and straighten all this out.. There is no other way this country Will survive what its people have already done in less accountability and the removal of the crooked. complete removal is the only way forward.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a press release, “Violent threats against public servants are a danger to our democracy.”
The case is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force to address threats against election workers.
The release says that anyone wanting to report suspected threats or violent acts should contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or local police immediately.
