BUTTE — Julie Riojas of Butte was arrested on Tuesday and charged with posting threats against law enforcement officers on social media.
Police say Riojas posted pictures of several police officers, County Attorneys, and their family members on Facebook with threatening messages last week.
The nature of the threats has not been disclosed, but investigators are taking them seriously.
“We’ve dealt with Julie on several different occasions and she’s been arrested several different times. Also, you know, we believe she possibly might have the means – she says she does, so that’s why we take it seriously,” said Butte Undersheriff George Skuletich.
Riojas faces two misdemeanor counts and eight felony counts of privacy in communications.
Montana Code provides the following information about such charges:
45-8-213. Privacy in communications. (1) Except as provided in 69-6-104, a person commits the offense of violating privacy in communications if the person knowingly or purposely:
(a) with the purpose to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, or injure, communicates with a person by electronic communication and threatens to inflict injury or physical harm to the person or property of the person or makes repeated use of obscene, lewd, or profane language or repeated lewd or lascivious suggestions;
(b) uses an electronic communication to attempt to extort money or any other thing of value from a person or to disturb by repeated communications the peace, quiet, or right of privacy of a person at the place where the communications are received;
