A Montana man was arrested on July 30 for allegedly threatening to kill a Massachusetts resident, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Matthew Shelley, 37, of Missoula, Montana, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on July 23 with one count of transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce. Shelley is scheduled for an initial appearance and detention hearing in the District of Montana on Aug. 3 and will appear in Boston at a later date.
Court documents state that on Oct. 18, 2025, Shelley used X (formerly Twitter) to send a message to a Massachusetts resident: “You work for k|kes who murdered my family. I will kill you.”
Shelley was arrested at his home in Montana following the indictment. The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Field Division, made the announcement regarding Shelley’s arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations, and Shelley is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts serves as part of the United States Department of Justice; it enforces federal laws through prosecutions involving national security threats and civil rights violations; advances community initiatives on civil rights and violence prevention; maintains facilities at multiple locations including Boston’s John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse; employs over 200 attorneys, paralegals and professional staff; and serves all residents across Massachusetts, according to its official website.