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Flushing cable man charged in Web threat

Flushing cable man charged in Web threat
Photo by Joe Anuta
By Joe Anuta

A Bronx man was slapped with terrorism-related charges after allegedly using Facebook to post death threats aimed at a Flushing co-worker, the Queens district attorney said last Thursday.

Jason Steward, 29, was an employee at the Time Warner Cable office, at 41-61 Kissena Blvd., when in several public postings on the social networking site he allegedly threatened to shoot other employees at his workplace, the DA said.

“I wish I had a machine gun to give them all the business … I will go to work and blow all them low budget [expletive deleted] heads off,” Steward allegedly said in a post, according to the Queens DA.

The Bronx man also reserved a place in his rant to specifically address his supervisor, with whom he was having a dispute about overtime pay, the Queens DA said.

But when Steward was arrested, he allegedly sang a different tune and told police the diatribe resulted from a combination of rage and alcohol.

“At the time I was intoxicated and angry,” he allegedly told cops. “I never intended to hurt anyone and words will not express how sorry and senseless my behavior was. I am deeply embarrassed for my stupid actions.”

But District Attorney Richard Brown did not take the threats lightly, charging Steward with making a terroristic threat and second-degree aggravated harassment. If convicted, the Bronx man faces up to seven years in prison, according to the Queens DA.

“If an individual posts a threat on a social networking site, it will be treated seriously and investigated promptly to ensure that the verbal threat does not escalate into physical aggression or violence,” Brown said in a statement. “Workplace violence is a serious issue and all threats or indications of potential violence will be dealt with appropriately by my office.”

The case landed on Brown’s desk after Time Warner Cable employees reported the incident to the NYPD’s Computer Crimes Squad, according to the DA.

Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at januta@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.