A Philadelphia man was arrested and charged for allegedly calling the Montgomery County Republican Committee Office and making threatening statements, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Edward Cieri Jr., 39, is accused of calling the GOP office located at 860 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike in Whitpain Township on Saturday, Oct. 26 just before 11:30 a.m., officials said.
A worker named Joseph Rittenhouse was working at the office when he answered the call from Cieri, according to officials.
When asked, Rittenhouse confirmed that he was a Republican to the caller, officials explained. This is when the caller, identified as Cieri, called Rittenhouse a derogatory word.
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Rittenhouse told officers that he did mock the caller which made him even more upset.
Cieri is accused of telling Rittenhouse, "I'll put one in your head," and that he would "shoot that place up" and "blow it up."
Investigators said that the call lasted exactly one minute and 53 seconds. When the call ended, Rittenhouse called police immediately and said that he felt a heightened sense of fear and felt threatened.
The caller came up as a "Patricia Cieri," investigators said. Through the investigation, it was discovered that Edward Cieri Jr. was the son of Patricia Cieri.
An officer with the Whitpain Township Police Department explained that they interviewed Edward Cieri Jr. on Monday, Oct. 29 at his home. During their conversation, he admitted to the officer that he called the GOP office and made threats toward the person who had answered the phone.
Cieri was charged with threatening to place weapons of mass destruction, terroristic threats and harassment.
He has been ordered to have no contact with Rittenhouse and to stay away from the Republican Committee offices.
