Nicholas Wimbish, a poll worker in Georgia, has filed charges over an alleged bomb threat

Nicholas Wimbish is believed to have sent a bomb threat to the Jones County elections office to frame a voter with whom he had a verbal altercation.

A poll worker in Georgia is suspected of making a bomb threat to frame a voter he was arguing with during the election, according to court documents.

On Oct. 16, 25-year-old Nicholas Wimbish, a poll worker from Milledgeville, Georgia, was arrested and charged with mailing a bomb threat, providing false information about a bomb threat, mailing a threatening letter and making false statements to the FBI, according to a news release , which FBI Atlanta Public Affairs emailed to USA TODAY.

Wimbish worked at the Jones County Elections Office in Gray, Georgia, about 88 miles southeast of Atlanta.

The FBI Atlanta field office is investigating the incident. If found guilty, he could face up to 25 years in prison.

Wimbish is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, November 5.

USA TODAY has reached out to Wimbish's attorney but has not yet heard back

What happened?

The Jones County elections office received a threatening letter via USPS on Oct. 22, 2024, which was typed, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. It was addressed by hand to the returning officer.

The return address stated that a “Jones County Voter” mailed the letter on October 18, postmarked in Atlanta, Georgia.

Wimbish is believed to have written the letter the day after he allegedly got into a verbal altercation with an unidentified voter after she complained that Wimbish and another poll worker's conversation was affecting those in line for voting distracted voters waiting to vote early.

Wimbish googled his name the night the altercation occurred and later googled nearby post offices around 1am the next day.

“Based on my investigation, I believe that Wimbish conducted the Google search on his own behalf to confirm what information about him and other election officials was available online,” James Maxwell, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, wrote in The criminal complaint was filed against Wimbish. “I believe that Wimbish wrote the letter pretending to be (the voter) because the letter refers to Wimbish and (the other poll worker) 'distracting voters,' the same complaint that (the voter) made.” the day before the letter was dated.” “

The day after receiving the letter, Wimbish told the FBI that the disgruntled voter with whom he had a dispute had written and mailed the letter.

On Monday, the same day as the arrest, the FBI searched Wimbish's personal computer and found a document referencing a “BOOM TOY” dated Oct. 18, according to court documents. They also found the letter in the computer's print spooler.

What was in the letter?

The letter called Wimbish a “young liberal woke idiot” and accused him of trying to “influence the voices of the people in unison.”

The letter said the sender was “looking” for the poll worker Wimbish was speaking to at the time of the incident. It also mentioned two other female poll workers and accused one of them of “messing up my ballot.”

“You woke liberals should be looking over their shoulders. I must do whatever it takes for (unspecified candidate) to win Georgia,” the letter said.

The letter was signed by a “Jones County voter,” court documents say.

“Horsepower boom toys at early voting site, cigar burning, be careful,” read a handwritten note attached to the letter.

A “boom toy” could refer to an explosive device, according to Maxwell, while “cigar burning” could refer to a delayed fuse detonator.

Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her LinkedInkeep following her X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram And TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected]

What was in the letter?

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