Federal Jury Convicts Buxton Man for Twitter Threat

PORTLAND, Maine: A Buxton man was found guilty today of transmitting a threatening interstate communication. The verdict came after a three-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court in Portland with Chief Judge Jon D. Levy presiding.

According to evidence presented during the trial, on September 8, 2021, Brian Dennison, 27, posted on Twitter, “I’m going to kill jews with my ar15 tomorrow.” FBI investigators identified Dennison as the likely author of the threat and executed search warrants at his Buxton residence. Among the items seized were approximately 1,700 rounds of ammunition that could be fired from an AR-15-style rifle. Investigators also found evidence that Dennison had a long-standing animus toward Jewish people. In October 2021, investigators executed another search warrant at the property and found an AR-15-style rifle and ammunition in a case that had been hidden in the woods behind the residence.

Dennison faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

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