BUNNELL, Fla. – A 32-year-old man from Maine was arrested and accused of threatening to kill a Flagler County resident and their family through messages sent through Xbox, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said James Maynard was arrested following a two-and-a-half-year investigation involving a series of threats made toward a Palm Coast resident.
Recommended Videos
In November 2022, the victim, who was a juvenile at the time, reported that an unknown suspect was using an anonymous Xbox gamertag to send multiple messages containing violent threats, including threatening to kill them, burn their house down, and make their parents disappear, according to FCSO.
In July 2022, the victim told deputies they received similar threats from the same suspect under a different Xbox gametag.
Following the threats, the victim tried to block the suspect, but deputies said he continued to alter his profile to continue the harassment.
The victim also told detectives they had never met the suspect but had interacted with him through Xbox and Snapchat.
In January, detectives said they were able to identify Maynard as the suspect and obtained an arrest warrant.
On April 25, Flagler County detectives traveled to Maine, where they worked with the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and Waterville Police Department to locate, apprehend, and interview Maynard.
“I commend our Major Case Unit for their hard work and dedication during this extensive over two-year investigation,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Let this case be a warning that Flagler County Sheriff’s Office does not tolerate any threat to kill, and we will work with our law enforcement partners across the country to find you and hold you accountable if you threaten our residents. I also want to thank the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and Waterville Police Department for their assistance in this case.”
Maynard was charged with making written or electronic threats to kill, deputies said.
He was transported to the Kennebec County Correctional Facility in Augusta, Maine. He is awaiting extradition to Flagler County.