A California man has been taken into federal custody after authorities accused him of sending a series of violent online death threats targeting a Mississippi judge whose family became connected to the investigation into the death of teenager Nolan Wells.
Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce is accused of transmitting threatening communications through social media directed at Jackson County Chancery Judge Ashlee Cole.
According to federal court records, the messages contained explicit threats against the judge and members of her family.
Connection to the Nolan Wells Investigation
The threats emerged in the weeks after the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, who disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip near Horn Island on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.
Wells’ body was recovered on July 6 after an extensive search.
Judge Cole’s connection to the tragedy stems from her stepson, Warren Hudson, who was among the group of friends celebrating with Wells before the teenager vanished.
Following the incident, Cole publicly expressed sympathy for the Wells family through a Facebook post, a gesture investigators believe preceded the alleged harassment.
Disturbing Messages Detailed in Court Records
Federal investigators say Dumarce sent multiple direct messages containing graphic and alarming threats.
Court filings describe one message warning that a “package” would be delivered to Judge Cole’s office and that opening it would trigger a countdown before an explosion.
Other alleged communications contained references to bloodshed and promised that the judge’s death would come quickly.
Investigators also claim the sender asserted that he possessed Cole’s personal information, including her home address and phone number, while boasting that even federal law enforcement would be unable to stop him.
Additional messages allegedly threatened violence against the judge’s children, including claims that her sons would be strangled.
Threats Were Publicly Shared Online
As the threatening messages continued, Judge Cole posted screenshots from the anonymous social media account on Facebook on July 9.
The images allegedly showed repeated comments containing violent language, including references to a “slow painful death” and threats aimed at one of her children.
The public posts drew attention to the escalating intimidation campaign as authorities worked to identify the individual behind the account.
FBI Investigation Traced Anonymous Account
According to investigators assigned to the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, digital evidence played a key role in identifying the suspect.
Authorities reportedly linked the anonymous account to an email address, telephone number, birth date and other identifying information.
Those records ultimately led investigators to Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, who was subsequently arrested and charged in federal court.
Potential Federal Penalties
Dumarce has been charged with transmitting threatening communications across state lines, a federal offense that carries significant legal consequences if convicted.
Prosecutors say the charge is punishable by up to five years in federal prison, a fine of as much as $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release following any prison sentence.
Previous Criminal History Raises Further Attention
Court records and publicly available California registry information show that Dumarce has prior criminal convictions involving offenses against minors.
He was previously arrested in 2019 in California after authorities alleged he exposed himself to and attempted to kidnap a 13-year-old girl.
According to California’s Megan’s Law sex offender registry, he was later convicted of annoying or molesting a child under 18 in 2019 and, in 2020, of sending harmful material with the intent to seduce a minor.
Registry records indicate he was released from prison in 2023 and has been listed as a transient in Sacramento.
Investigation Into Wells’ Death Continues to Draw Attention
Although the federal case centers solely on the alleged threats against Judge Cole and her family, it unfolded against the backdrop of continued public interest in the death of Nolan Wells.
The teenager’s disappearance during the Independence Day boating trip on Horn Island remains a case that has generated widespread attention, while authorities pursue separate investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death and the alleged online threats that followed.
