Police: Teacher with far-right ties harassed health officer

[groundloop]

Source: ABC News

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A California community college instructor with ties to the far-right, anti-government “boogaloo" movement was in custody on suspicion of sending two dozen misogynistic and threatening letters to a county health officer involving the coronavirus pandemic, authorities said Tuesday.

Alan Viarengo, 55, was arrested last week and investigators seized 138 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and explosive materials from his home in Gilroy, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said.

Viarengo was charged with felony counts of stalking and threatening a public official after authorities said the letters were sent to county Health Director Dr. Sara Cody. He has not entered a plea. His bail was revoked and he remains in jail.

Investigators said the letters became “increasingly aggressive, offensive and threatening" and contained slogans and imagery from the boogaloo movement, a loosely organized, right-wing extremist group known for anti-government, anti-police and pro-gun beliefs.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/police-teacher-ties-harassed-health-officer-72755449?cid=clicksource_4380645_12_comic_strip_sq_hed

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Crawling out of the woodwork, and seemingly ordinary

[CurtEastPoint]

5. ...and of course his attorney described him as...

"a dedicated father, husband, community activist, respected professor, and volunteer," who "respects the rule of law and the Constitution."

[SunSeeker]

10. Yeah, "dedicated" to hate. nt

[dware]

11. He's his attorney,

what else did you think he would say?

My client is guilty but he's "a dedicated father, husband, community activist, respected professor, and volunteer," who "respects the rule of law and the Constitution."?

Despite the fact that he's a POS, he is, under our Constitution, entitled to a competent defense attorney.

[lapfog_1]

2. 138 firearms

seriously, where do these people find the money for this stuff?

Not to mention, what do they think they are going to do with it?

[stillcool]

4. I guess that's what collectors do...

buy, sell, trade. I don't know how many different guns there are, but I know obsessive/compulsive behavior. 138 does sound like over-kill...in many ways.

[CurtEastPoint]

3. and here he is... quelle surprise

[DonaldsRump]

7. He apparently teaches Statistics (!) at a local college n/t

[Mr.Bill]

8. Not anymore.

[Initech]

6. And we're the violent lunatics. Yeah right.

[dalton99a]

9. "F**k all authority. Enjoy the Boogaloo! Make America Great Again (and Keep America Great in 2020)!"

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/south-bay/alleged-boogaloo-boy-arrested-over-threats-to-top-south-bay-health-official/2355341/

https://www.sccgov.org/sites/sheriff/Documents/Press%20Releases/2020/Threatening%20a%20Public%20Official%209.1.2020.pdf