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Press Release

Additional Charge Filed Against Grand Island Man Arrested For Leaving Threatening Voicemails For Two U.S. Congressmen

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York

CONTACT:  Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX #:            (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Carlos Bayon, 63, of Grand Island, NY, who was previously charged by criminal complaint with interstate communication of a threat, is facing an additional charge of threatening two federal officials, after an amended complaint was filed today. The new charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who is handling the case, the amended criminal complaint states that following the defendant’s arrest on August 1, 2018, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Bayon’s Grand Island residence. Officers recovered approximately 150 rounds of 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition, 50 rounds of shotgun ammunition, and receipts for the purchase of an SKS rifle, which is a high-powered assault rifle, and a .38 caliber revolver.

In addition, officers recovered a number of books concerning the use of firearms and explosives, including:

• How to create foolproof new identity;
• Ragnar’s homemade detonators;
• Homemade C-4;
• New & Improved C-4;
• Middle Eastern Terrorist Bomb Designs;
• Poor man’s TNT;
• CIA field manual for explosives prep;
• Disguise techniques;
• How to circumvent security alarms;
• Silent But Deadly: homemade silencers;
• Hit Man: technical manual;
• Expedient B&E: circumventing alarms;
• Improvised radio detonation techniques;
• Homemade Semtex;
• Secrets of a Super Hacker;
• How to make disposable silencers; and
• How to build practical firearm suppressors.

On June 30, 2018, two members of Congress, one from Louisiana and one from the State of Washington, received threatening voicemails which stated:

“Hey listen, this message is for you and the people that sent you there. You are taking ours, we are taking yours. Anytime, anywhere. We know where they are. We are not going to feed them sandwiches, we are going to feed them lead. Make no mistake you will pay. Ojo por ojo, diente por diente (This is Spanish for “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”). That is our law and we are the majority. Have a good day.”

U.S. Capitol Police were contacted and traced the calls to the defendant Carlos Bayon.

Bayon is being held pending a detention hearing.

The amended complaint is the result of an investigation by the United States Capitol Police, under the direction of Chief Matthew R. Verderosa, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.   

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Updated August 6, 2018