A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison for sending threatening emails to the FBI, including ones in which he threatened to bomb the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office and referenced the notorious "Unabomber."
Mark William Anten, 53, of Sun Valley, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu.
At the conclusion of a three-day trial, a jury on June 5 found Anten guilty of two counts of threats by interstate communication.
"Federal agents deserve our appreciation for risking their lives to enforce the law and protect our community," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. "Threats against law enforcement are unacceptable and we will continue to stand with the FBI and the rest of our law enforcement partners against those who threaten them."
"Mr. Anten double-downed on his intimidation and credible death threats to FBI employees at their place of employment," said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. "There are civil, productive ways to disagree with the government if so inclined, but threats of violence is not one of them and – as evidenced by today's sentencing – will only lead to prison."
From July 2023 to December 2023, Anten sent a series of increasingly threatening communications to the FBI, culminating in two threats to bomb the FBI field office in Westwood.
The emails included repeated references to Theodore John Kaczynski, a.k.a. "The Unabomber," whose 20-year bombing campaign killed three people and injured nearly two dozen more. Kaczynski was convicted of federal crimes, spent the bulk of his prison sentence in the Supermax federal prison in Colorado and died in a different federal prison last year.
On November 20, 2023, two FBI task force officers interviewed Anten in front of his residence. During the interview, Anten admitted to sending the previous communications and the officers admonished him to stop contacting agents. Despite the admonition, Anten's conduct escalated.
On December 5, 2023, Anten sent to FBI agents an email in which he wrote, "I AM THE UNABOMBER" and "I WILL UNABOMB THE LOS ANGELES FBI HQ."
The next day, Anten wrote to FBI agents, "I can go on a mass murder spree. In fact it would be very explainable by your actions." He concluded the email with, "[y]ou ain't getting away with this one," and signed the email, "SuperMax or Death."
Anten also sent FBI agents an email, which attached a photograph depicting the results of an internet search for "how to make a dirty bomb."
Later that day, Anten visited the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office and later emailed agents that he visited their building and would continue to do so. Surveillance footage confirmed Anten's presence there.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Clifford D. Mpare of the General Crimes Section and Kedar S. Bhatia of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
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