Fairfield County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threats

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Casey William Degolyer, 48, of Blair, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to threatening interstate communications.

Evidence presented in court showed that the FBI received numerous complaints regarding Degolyer's posts on social media. Degolyer posted almost daily calling for the execution of public officials, including the need to hang certain public office holders from a rope, killing law enforcement and their families, dragging judges and their family "out of their households" to be "brutalized in the streets," opposing the government by violence and force, and killing members of certain racial and ethnic groups. Degolyer targeted both specific public office holders and groups of people based on their jobs or ethnicity. He wrote that he was "about to go dark and take action." Degolyer's threats continued even after being contacted by law enforcement.

Degolyer has prior convictions for criminal domestic violence, violating an order of protection, violating a restraining order, and unlawful use of a telephone. When he was arrested, he was found with four firearms and ammunition, which he was not allowed to possess under federal law.

Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Degolyer to 18 months imprisonment, a sentence that was above the advisory sentencing guidelines, to be followed by three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office with support from the U.S. Secret Service, the York County Sheriff's Office, the Rock Hill Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.

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