Georgia poll worker arrested for threatening letter and bomb threat, U.S. Attorney’s Office says

A Georgia poll worker faces federal charges after mailing a bomb threat and threatening letter to the Jones County Elections Superintendent, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Georgia poll worker faces federal charges after mailing a bomb threat and threatening letter to the Jones County Elections Superintendent, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.

25-year-old Nicholas Wimbish of Milledgeville was working as a poll worker at the Jones County Elections Office on October 16 when he had a verbal altercation with a voter, according to the criminal complaint. Later that day, he researched what information about him could be publicly found online, according to the complaint. The following day, he sent a letter to the Jones County Elections Superintendent, signed as a “Jones County Voter,” that included threats aimed at election workers.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the letter was “drafted to make it appear as if it came from the voter” and said Wimbish had “give[n] me hell” and was “conspiring votes” and “distracting voters from concentrating.”

The letter threatened that Wimbish and others “should look over their shoulder,” that “I know where they go,” and that “I know where they all live because I found home voting addresses for all them,” the complaint said. It also said the “liberal young men will get beatdown if they fight me” and “will get the treason punishment by firing squad if they fight back.” The letter further threatened to “rage rape” the “ladies” and warned them to “watch every move they make and look over their shoulder.” The letter ended with a handwritten note: “PS boom toy in early vote place, cigar burning, be safe.”

According to the complaint, when the letter arrived on October 22, the Elections Superintendent recognized it as suspicious and contacted law enforcement. Wimbish was reportedly there when the letter was received and, after reading it, claimed that a voter he interacted with on October 16 was responsible.

Further investigation revealed a copy of the letter and a document referencing a “boom toy” on Wimbish’s computer. Additionally, Wimbish is accused of lying to the FBI during an interview by denying that he wrote the letter and by blaming the voter.

Wimbish faces charges of mailing a bomb threat, conveying false information regarding a bomb threat, mailing a threatening letter and making false statements to the FBI. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.

The FBI Atlanta Field Office is leading the investigation. U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri announced the case.

The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, established by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2021, is part of the ongoing response to threats against election workers nationwide. For more information on reporting suspected threats or violence against election workers, the FBI provides resources at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices or 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).