Charlotte County man behind bars after making online threats to kill, then buying weapons

A Port Charlotte man is behind bars after posting graphic threats online. While he didn’t act on them, law enforcement isn’t taking his comments lightly.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, George Dwyer posted videos on YouTube with threatening messages. Eventually, Google flagged the account and reported him to authorities.

Dwyer is charged with one count of sending written threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism.

FDLE logged what they say is a long list of social media comments he made, each with threats to kill people.

It’s no secret that people can be mean on the internet and hide behind fake names. A particular cause for concern was that Dwyer purchased weapons he mentioned in those comments.

Dwyer didn’t hide his thoughts. He uploaded them to YouTube under a fake name.

WINK News safety and security specialist Rich Kolko said these statements go beyond just words, saying, “The fact that this man went to purchase a firearm, started training, shooting, had addressed, was directly contacting specific people raised the credibility of that threat significantly.”

Dwyer posted pictures of himself on Facebook practicing at a gun range with his new rifle.

According to the affidavit, as part of the investigation, FDLE did a trap and trace and were able to locate him, find which phone was being used and what internet connection was being used.

Also according to the affidavit, after he was read his Miranda rights, they said they got a confession for at least a couple of the threats.

That’s when agents arrested him and confiscated nearly 130 rounds of ammunition.

“Owning guns – totally legal in the United States. But it appears from some of the statements that he made he went out to purchase this weapon, went and conducted training, and then made threats. So if you put those three things together it’s very troublesome for law enforcement.”

Dwyer is being held at the Charlotte County Jail without bond until after his first appearance.