Kentucky Man Arrested for Making Terroristic Threats in the First Degree

24-year-oldRonald Branch Barnette of Richmond, Kentucky, was arrested on a first-degree terrorist threat charge after threatening a family in Alabama (mugshot via Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)

T. L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Local News

CENTRE, Ala. - According to Sheriff Jeff Shaver, 24-year-old Ronald Branch Barnette of Richmond, Kentucky, has been arrested for making a terroristic threat in the first degree.

Investigators, along with School Resource Officers, launched an investigation that revealed Barnette had sent a video message to an individual in which he threatened to kill a woman and her family back on April 22. The children involved attended Cedar Bluff School.

Barnette threatened to "commit a crime of violence against a person or to damage property by use of a bomb, explosive, weapon of mass destruction, firearm, deadly weapon or other mechanism," which caused disruption to the school, according to court documents.

Barnette was located by authorities in Kentucky, taken into custody, and extradited to Alabama, where Barnette was booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center in Centre on July 29 at 11:17 a.m.

Due to the nature of the threat and its connection to the children, additional deputies have been assigned to provide extra security at Cedar Bluff School.

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