BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Benjamin Bolton, 32, of Glendale, Colorado, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to transmitting interstate communications containing threats to injure the person of another. The charge carries a maximum of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant was admitted into Buffalo State College as a graduate student for the Fall 2013 semester. In April 2014, Bolton was suspended as a result of incidents at the school, including disputes with faculty members. Between June 2015 and August 5, 2015, the defendant made numerous telephone calls to faculty and staff personnel employed at Buffalo State, and to officers of the Buffalo State University Police Department. During many of these telephone calls, Bolton threatened to assault police officers, faculty, and staff members whom he identified by name.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen and the Buffalo State University Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Carey.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19, 2016 before Judge Vilardo.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
