Man Threatens Pro-Choice MA Professor: DOJ

BOSTON —A Rhode Island man was arrested Wednesday and charged with sending a series of violent and threatening emails to a college professor who spoke in favor of abortion rights in Massachusetts and to an unnamed professional school at the university where the professor teaches.

Matthew Haviland, 30, of North Kingstown, R.I., was charged by complaint with cyberstalking and with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. Haviland is set to appear today in federal court in Boston.

Over the span of several hours on March 10, Haviland sent the professor a string of about 28 emails containing messages that included such threats as, “I will rip every limb from your body and eat it, piece by piece,” and “I will bite through your eyeballs while you’re still alive, and I will laugh while you scream,” according to court documents.

According to the complaint, the professor to whom Haviland sent the threats spoke in favor of abortion rights, and several of Haviland’s emails made reference to abortion.

In two successive emails, for example, court documents say Haviland wrote, “You will be held accountable for every [expletive] baby you murdered through your horrible deception of they are not humans,” and “You will have your face ripped off and eaten by me, personally. I will enjoy raping your body after you’re dead. And that will only be the start.”

The complaint includes a description of additional, abortion-related messages police accuse Haviland of sending or posting on the internet. Those messages included approximately 114 voice messages that Haviland left overnight at a women’s medical center that started April 4, and text messages Haviland sent to an acquaintance.

Among other things, he spoke of babies being murdered and drew comparison between Nazis and a doctor who worked at the clinic. During a phone interview with investigators, Haviland admitted he placed the calls and apologized, saying he had no intent to harm anyone, according to court documents.

In an internet posting prosecutors say Haviland wrote he threatened to kill doctors who perform abortions.

Prosecutors say that between the evening of March 15, and the early morning of March 16, Haviland sent approximately 12 harassing and threatening emails that touched on race, gender and disability to a professional school at the professor's university.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling took a hard stance on the accusations.

“This office will take a hard line on threats of violence motivated by politicized issues, regardless of whether those issues arise on the right or the left,” said Lelling in a statement. “Americans are responsible for what they say, and if they put others in fear for their lives, we will prosecute.”

The special agent in charge of the FBI Boston division was also involved in the investigation.

“Simply put, words matter, and today’s arrest of Matthew Haviland should serve as a warning to others who think they can use the internet to terrorize people. Don’t do it,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, of the FBI. “Everyone has the right to express their opinion, but when you threaten, harass, intimidate, and put others in fear for their lives, it’s a federal crime.”

According to one witness who reports having known and been friends with Haviland for approximately 11 years, within the last year, Haviland's views regarding abortion and politics have become more extreme. The witness told investigators that they believed it was in part "because of the way the news media portrays President Trump."

According to police reports, between June last year and this month, North Kingstown, Rhode Island police have made at least five wellness checks to Haviland's home. In each instance, someone has reported they were concerned about Haviland's mental health. In at least two of the instances, law enforcement said they asked him about his social media postings.

The charges of cyberstalking and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater, and restitution.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).