Man indicted for repeated death threats to Salt Lake County officials

SALT LAKE CITY — A man is facing charges after police said he made repeated, threatening phone calls to Salt Lake County officials, according to a charging document from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Ryan Gregory Bracken, 44, of West Valley City, was arrested on April 4, after allegedly calling Salt Lake County government offices 32 times in April alone, according to an indictment.

The Office cited that on April 1, Bracken called the Salt Lake County Recorder’s Office, and accused the Salt Lake County Recorder and an employee of being guilty of treason. As alleged, “Bracken made a point stating that the penalty for treason is death.”

The indictment states that before the voicemail, Bracken had made repeated phone calls to the SLCRO, which “became increasingly verbally abusive and threatening.”

On April 2, Bracken reportedly called the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office to speak with the Sheriff regarding a “fraudulent Sheriff’s” sale on his property, referencing an imminent foreclosure and sale of his property. Bracken called this a criminal act, and threatened to “open fire” on the first person who showed up to his property to evict him, citing a specific gun.

Later that day, Bracken made multiple threats that if a Sheriff’s sale on his property occurred, he would hold the Sheriff responsible for treasonous acts, and threatened her life, the indictment states.

Bracken is facing charges for five counts of stalking, and one count of interstate communication threats. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 27, at 11 a.m.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.