FBI Investigation Results in Charges Against Hawai‘i Man for Threatening Emails

An Oʻahu man was charged in federal court with sending threatening interstate communications.  Sean Michael Fujiwara, 43, of Kailua, Hawaiʻi is accused of sending at least 21 emails that were threatening in nature or contained references to foreign terrorist organizations, or both, according to the US Justice Department.

He has since been remanded to federal custody pending further proceedings.

The complaint alleges the emails were sent between Dec. 8, 2017 and July 27, 2020.

According to the District of Hawaiʻi, US Attorney’s Office, among the alleged messages were:

• a Feb. 25, 2018 email to a personal Hawaiʻi Department of Education email address threatening to shoot and kill teachers and students,
• a June 8, 2020 email to a law enforcement agency threatening to plant a bomb at a specified police station, and
• multiple emails proclaiming Fujiwara’s allegiance to ISIS.

“Words have meaning, and the law enforcement community in Hawaiʻi will not tolerate the use of electronic communications to send threatening words to victims in our communities. We will thoroughly investigate and prosecute those whose conduct jeopardizes public safety, particularly during times when many in our communities have enough to worry about,” said US Attorney Kenji M. Price.

“The FBI takes these types of threats very serious especially when they reference schools and the killing of students and teachers. Many times these threats are more than words and are actually a precursor to violence. The men and women of the FBI work tirelessly to identify the author of such threats to ensure they are stopped before they act out. This arrest is an example of the FBI’s dedication to justice and our goal of making Hawaiʻi a safer place for all,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Eli S. Miranda.

*The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Sean Van Demark.