Man charged with threatening district judge

A Hingham man was being held in the Hill County Detention Center this morning on more than $1.3 million bond on charges including threatening to shoot a state district judge.

Daniel J. Alex, last confirmed age 37, was listed on the Hill County Detention Center roster this morning as being held on $500,000 bond for intimidation, $500,000 bond for violating conditions of release on the intimidation charge, $250,000 bond on a probation violation, $75,000 bond on a violation of conditions of a deferred imposition of sentence and $585 bond on charges of criminal mischief and resisting arrest.

State District Judge Olivia Rieger set a trial date for June 22 on the felony threats or improper influence in official or political matters charge stemming from the threats to the judge.

An evidentiary hearing on the petition to revoke the deferred imposition of sentence on a 2019 charge is scheduled for Jan. 19.

That charge stemmed from an incident where property owners called law enforcement Nov. 9, 2019, saying they were afraid to go into their residence because Alex was inside acting strange and exhibiting signs of violence. Law enforcement arrived and arrested Alex, a court document said, and found a significant amount of damage inside. A bag containing methamphetamine also was found in Alex's bedroom.

He was charged with felony counts of criminal mischief and criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

After Alex pleaded guilty in a plea agreement to the criminal mischief charge a three-year deferred imposition of sentence was imposed May 4, 2020.

Under a deferred imposition of sentence, if Alex had abided by all conditions of his release, after the three years he could have petitioned to have the felony charge struck from his record.

According to the petition to revoke the deferred imposition of sentence, which was filed Dec. 29, Alex was arrested Sept. 8, 2020, in Lake County on a charge of partner or family member assault and had been drinking alcohol at the time. A report of violation of conditions was filed at that time.

Documents say that Dec. 10 of last year a person asked to speak to law enforcement about Facebook posts Alex had made. A deputy sheriff observed a post in which Alex talked about a District court "that took my daughter" and the judge in the court "that I threaten to shoot," the document said.

The caller said they were concerned the post was a bout a custody hearing scheduled that week.

The judge was contacted and said they were aware of the posts and were concerned about the content.

The document said Havre Probation and Parole authorized a 72-hour hold on Alex due to the nature of the posts.

After Alex made his initial appearance on the report, he bonded out of jail, the document said. He then started texting an acquaintance asking that person to provide him with an Armalite rifle so he could "have the tool for planting freedom seeds." Alex then texted a picture titled "Anatomy of a Pew" depicting a cartridge with the bullet labeled "FREEDOM SEED," the document said.

Alex was arrested Dec. 27 on allegations he violated conditions of his release and the felony charge of threats and other improper influence in official and political matters was filed Thursday.