ATLANTA — A man accused of threatening the life of Georgia Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins is now in custody following a multi-state investigation involving the FBI, the GBI and the Butts County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say Anthony Lantrell Bennett, a former Hampton resident now living in a Buffalo, New York suburb, was arrested Friday and faces two felony counts of terroristic threats.
According to Butts County Sheriff Gary Long, the investigation began after Collins’ office reported a threatening Instagram direct message sent to Collins’ son-in-law, David Allen Scheer II.
“We received information from Congressman Mike Collins of a threat that they received a direct message off Instagram,” Long said.
Investigators allege Bennett sent a message threatening both Scheer and Collins.
After identifying Bennett as the suspect, Butts County investigators teamed up with the GBI and the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. Sheriff Long, one of his investigators and a GBI agent traveled to New York as authorities prepared to execute a search warrant.
Before investigators could serve the warrant, Bennett walked outside his residence.
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“Friday morning, FBI had a surveillance team on the suspect’s location,” Long said. “Prior to the execution of the search warrant, the suspect actually walked outside, at which time the surveillance team was able to take him into custody without incident.”
Investigators say Bennett later told them he became angry after seeing an Instagram story and responded by sending the threat.
“The contents of that story angered him and therefore he made the death threat,” Long said.
Authorities say Bennett claimed he never intended to carry out the threat.
Long said that does not matter.
“I understand politics and I understand the disagreements, but there’s a line that can’t be crossed,” Long said. “Threatening to kill a public official or his family members, that’s not politics. That’s a criminal act.”
The sheriff said his office provided additional security for Collins and his family while the investigation was underway.
Long also said Bennett later admitted sending the message was a mistake.
“To use nice language, he said it was really messed up. He should have never done it. It was a mistake that he made,” Long said.
Bennett is expected to have an extradition hearing in New York in the coming days.
Collins, a Republican congressman, is currently running against incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.
An Ossoff campaign spokesperson said, “Senator Ossoff condemns all threats of violence.”
In a statement from Collins, he said:
“No American should have to worry that their home could be the next Butler, Pennsylvania or Utah Valley University, and I’m grateful to the FBI, the Butts County Sheriff’s Department, and all law enforcement partners for acting quickly to protect my family.
“It’s become fashionable for leftist to say anything they want about their Republican opponents to try to irrationally and inaccurately paint them as monsters. My opponent clearly likes to play that irresponsible game, and here we are.
“When you mix false accusations with inflammatory rhetoric, it fuels the lunatics who want to settle political disagreements with violence.”
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