LANSING, Mich. – A man from Arenac County is facing charges for allegedly making threats to state officials over voicemail.
The voicemails are the latest in a wave of threatening phone calls made to Michigan officials, specifically Michigan women in power.
The calls were made to the Governor’s Constituent Services department. The voicemails were filled with obscenities and rage.
The caller identified himself as Doug Melrose. The 57-year-old from Twinning blamed the loss of his job and repeated problems with unemployment on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. His anger grew over the course of the message.
“Now I don’t have a job, don’t have no money and you are responsible, so you get your ass in gear and you get on that horn and you get me my [expletive] money or I’m going to come down there and start shooting,” the voicemail stated. “Do I make myself clear?”
Melrose called again, more subdued, but still threatened the lives of state employees.
“Call me back and hep me out with this unemployment or otherwise I’m going to shoot everyone in the unemployment office and kill,” Melrose threatened.
The calls are the latest in a year of threatening voicemails left for Michigan women in office. In February, two men were charged with threatening Debbie Stabenow. In June, another man threatened Stabenow and Rep. Elissa Slotkin. In December, state Rep. Cynthia Johnson released the audio of racist and violent voicemails sent to her.
Most recently, a Detroit man was sentenced to five years probation for threatening Attorney General Dana Nessel and Whitmer.
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There was also the domestic terrorism plot to kidnap and kill Whitmer that was made public by the FBI.
Michigan State Police troopers were able to track Melrose down and arrest him. The 57-year-old man was charged with making a terroristic threat -- a crime punishable of up to 20 years in prison. He was given a bond of $500,000.
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