Illinois man indicted on felony charges after allegedly sending death threats to witnesses in Nolan Wells’ case
TheGrio...
Edward James Porter is one of three people who are facing federal charges over alleged death threats connected to the Wells’ case.
A federal grand jury in Mississippi indicted 32-year-old Edward James Porter of Illinois on charges related to alleged death threats sent to witnesses connected to the investigation into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, according to reporting by Mississippi’s Sun Herald.
Porter, Michelle Edwards of Ohio and Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce have all been charged with varying levels of transmitting threatening communication across state lines. Edwards is accused of sending bomb threats to the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
According to prosecutors, Porter allegedly threatened to kill a possible witness and members of their family around July 31, weeks after Wells’ body was discovered off Horn Island in Mississippi. Authorities claim he also sent the person’s home address in a message and, during a phone call, claimed he was outside their residence.
The individuals threatened were Bart Edmiston Jr., and his father, Bart Edmiston Sr., according to the Edmiston’s lawyer, who has threatened defamation lawsuits against social media influencers and bloggers related to the case. Porter’s alleged threat included Edminston Sr’s wife and others, and reportedly included racial language in his threat.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release.
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, has also received threats related to the case as her search for what happened to her son continues. Preliminary autopsy results proved inconclusive regarding the cause of death for the Mississippi athlete, and an autopsy conducted by the state has been completed, but has yet to be publicly revealed. It will likely be presented to a grand jury, which could weigh potential charges related to the case.
Three of Wells’ friends who were with him on the day he disappeared, Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymore, informed Rev. Al Sharpton that they plan on suing him over statements he allegedly made accusing them of a crime in relation to Wells’ death. Sharpton has said he welcomes the potential suit.
Hudson’s father, Dr. Ben Hudson, has also stated he plans to sue civil rights attorney Ben Crump over statements he made about his family.