March 14, 2024 - SAN JOSE – A federal jury has convicted Brian Broderick of threatening two FBI agents following a one week-trial before the Hon. Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The jury convicted the defendant on one count of transmitting a communication containing a threat to injure, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c), rendering its verdict on March 8, 2024.

The evidence at trial showed that Broderick, 32, formerly of Santa Cruz, California, contacted the FBI a number of times in 2021 and 2022 to report several matters, including allegations concerning his former employer. On May 10, 2022, an FBI special agent sent Broderick an email to follow up on his reports. Beginning on that date, and lasting through June 1, 2022, Broderick sent a series of escalating and derogatory emails to multiple FBI agents, including the special agent who had responded to Broderick’s previous reports. On June 1, 2022, Broderick sent an email telling two FBI agents he was “literally hunting” the “idiot traitor” FBI agent who had initially reached out to him. Broderick went on to warn the FBI: “You act on this in . . . 24 hours, or I go beyond taking your livelihood.” On the same day, the defendant posted on his YouTube channel a video he filmed of himself surveilling a local FBI office.

Judge Davila scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 24, 2024. Broderick faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. However, his sentence will be imposed only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Chambers and Thomas Colthurst are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen, Elise Etter, Kay Konopaske, and Kathleen Turner. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Source: DOJ Release