VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — A New Jersey man is in trouble with the law after threatening the life of a sheriff in Florida.
Richard Golden, 38, faces charges in Volusia County for making serious threats against Sheriff Mike Chitwood. Authorities said Golden made the threats in an online forum, where he stated his intention to “put a bullet” in Chitwood’s head.
Bodycam video showed his arrest in his mother’s home in New Jersey on Monday. Investigators found that he threatened to harm Sheriff Chitwood in an anonymous online post with members and followers of an antisemitic group called Goyim Defense League.
According to officials, Golden is known to be anti-government and anti-law enforcement. He was reportedly upset with Chitwood’s actions to fight antisemitism following the protests at the 2023 Daytona 500 where Jewish slurs were displayed on the side of the speedway.
Sheriff Chitwood spoke at a press conference and expressed his dissatisfaction with the matter.
“I was furious but I can identify with the folks that were in the room of the Jewish faith who get the same death threats,” he said.
It is unclear what specifically prompted Golden to make the threatening remarks, but his extreme views appear to have played a role. Sheriff Chitwood read some of the comments Golden said online at the press conference: “Shooting Chitwood in the head solves the immediate problem permanently. Just shoot Chitwood in the head. Murder him.”
Officials said Golden denied being part of the GDL, but New Jersey detectives and FBI detectives said that he regularly interacted with the group.
“Like every other active shooter that we come across, he’s a marginalized member of society who spends hours on these extremist chat rooms,” said the sheriff.
Golden is facing a felony charge for threat of serious bodily injury in written communication. The charge carries significant penalties, including potential prison time and fines.
In a statement to the press, Sheriff Chitwood also mentioned that he and his family were taking the threat seriously and had taken steps to ensure their safety. He urged anyone with information about similar threats to come forward and report them to law enforcement immediately.
Golden is currently being extradited to Volusia County to face the charges against him. It remains to be seen how the case will play out in court, but it is clear that law enforcement officials take threats against their own very seriously.
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