Former Warwick firefighter charged for making threats in thousands of emails, online posts

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A former Warwick firefighter made an initial appearance in federal court in Providence on Wednesday, charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with threats to injure the person of another transmitted in interstate or foreign commerce, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

It is alleged in court documents that Barry J. LaFleur, 57, of Cranston, a retired Warwick Fire Department Lieutenant with 23 years of service, made threats of violence (e.g. to kill, shoot, commit work-place slaughters; terror incidents, and mass killings), directed mainly towards public officials in the City of Warwick, in tens-of-thousands of messages he authored and transmitted primarily via emails and online postings. Charging documents allege that LaFleur transmitted the threats both while employed and after his retirement from the Warwick Fire Department.

Some of the messages included:

“I would like to be the person who walks into Warwick Rhode Island fire department headquarters with an ak47 and kills the chief, the mayor, and the chief of police for good cause. Then I will tell you why.”

“we need to start killing police and public officials now, today, in Rhode Island.”

LaFleur, arrested without incident, appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond and was released on unsecured bond to home detention with electronic GPS monitoring.