A Pasadena man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with making detailed threats to hurt, rape and kill 10 people he met in various settings, officials announced Tuesday.
Samuel Trelawney Hughes, 31, and a citizen of the United Kingdom, faces seven counts of stalking, nine counts of making online threats, three counts of mailing threatening communications and seven counts of witness tampering, according to the United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California.
Hughes allegedly sent victims messages in which he expressed hope they would die or made specific threats to hurt them. Authorities did not provide any additional details about the victims in this case.
In one example from October 2019, Hughes allegedly sent an email to a person who had reported prior threats saying “someone I can guarantee will come out and first bash you head in, rape you slash your throat and burn your car and house,” officials allege. In another message he said he would stab the person and pour gasoline over their “half mutilated body.”
Hughes sometimes used his real name, and other times went by online aliases and handles that included xavier.herrera666, parsonstheo38, theoparsons4, tony.hawk.exskater, tony.flavelle450, byword.photography, julius.caesar411, charlotte.massey400, and a.total.wanker400, court documents show.
FBI officials began investigating Hughes in May 2019 after a victim filed a complaint with the Internet Crimes Complaint Center.
Hughes allegedly continued to send threatening electronic communications and letters to at least three of his victims, even after being contacted by federal and state law enforcement, officials said.
“In his communications to some victims, Hughes threatened that contacting the police would lead to the injury or death of the victim or the victims’ loved ones,” the criminal complaint alleges.
Hughes was eventually arrested by both the Los Angeles Police Department and Pasadena Police Department on separate occasions and as a result of two investigations, officials said.
He was subsequently charged by both the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the Pasadena City Attorney’s Office.
Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Hughes on July 10, and he was taken into custody two weeks later. He remains in federal custody and is expected to be arraigned on the most recent charges on Aug. 13.
The stalking and threats charges each carry a maximum prison sentence of five years in prison, while the witness tampering counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, officials said.
Hughes remains under investigation by the FBI, and anyone who believes they have received threats from him is encouraged to call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at 310-477-6565.
