Text With Death Threat Leads To McLean Man's Arrest: ICE

MCLEAN, VA — A McLean man accused of using Google Voice to send a text message across state lines threatening to kill a federal employee has been charged with multiple crimes, according to authorities.

On Dec. 23, a federal employee received this text from a telephone number in the 301 area code: “Step on U Street and get a bullet put between your eyes, loyalist pig skin (expletive),” according to an affidavit filed by a deportation officer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chantilly.

The victim was outside the state of Virginia when they received the text.

Since October 2024, the deportation officer has been assigned to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, where he conducts criminal and counterterrorism investigations.

The FBI made an emergency disclosure request with Google for the 301 phone number, according to the affidavit. The officer was then able to link that number to a telephone number with a 703 area code.

Based on information in a law enforcement database, the officer submitted a criminal complaint and arrest warrant request for 33-year-old Scott Allen Bolger of McLean on charges of making interstate threats and false statements.

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On Dec. 24, the deportation officer and an FBI task force officer attempted to contact Bolger.

"When the FBI first contacted Bolger, I introduced myself as a federal law enforcement officer and said that we were investigating an incident involving Scott Bolger," according to the affidavit. "In response, Bolger identified himself as 'Brian Black' and said he did not know Scott Bolger. Bolger denied that anyone named Scott Bolger lived at [an apartment in McLean]."

After the two officers confirmed with an apartment building employee that Bolger lived at the address in question, they returned to the apartment along with Fairfax County police officers, according to the affidavit. The man who had identified himself as "Brian Black" left the apartment and told the officers he was Scott Allen Bolger.

Later, during an interview, Bolger admitted he searched for the victim's phone number and called it to confirm that the number was correct, according to the affidavit. When the victim answered, Bolger said he hung up. Eventually, Bolger admitted to sending the threatening text, authorities said.

“Threats of violence are serious crimes with serious consequences,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Those who target federal employees should know that we will investigate and prosecute these offenses to the fullest extent of the law.”

Bolger was charged by criminal complaint with transmitting threats in interstate commerce and making false statements. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison, according to court records.