Man accused of threatening courthouse extradited back to Wisconsin

Matt Milner, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·2 min read

CHIPPEWA FALLS — The man who is accused of repeatedly threatening the Chippewa County Courthouse and people who work there is back in Wisconsin after his extradition from Texas.

Harley Alcala, 40, of Bandera, Texas, was living in Wisconsin and in the midst of a custody dispute when he came to the attention of authorities.

The criminal complaint says Alcala was allowed Facetime calls with his daughter twice weekly, but was “inappropriate and disrespectful” toward the girl’s foster parents. In May 2023 state officials sought a hearing to suspend his visitation rights.

The day before the hearing, Alcala posted multiple threats against the proceedings, including saying that “If I don’t get my daughter I will kill you! Judge everyone.” A different post asked “Ever see a court house shot up! Showing up with a toy hauler full of armored soldiers unlocked.”

Law enforcement concluded the threats were a serious concern and tightened courthouse security the next day. Other officers stopped him on U.S. 53 heading south toward Chippewa Falls. They arrested him on the spot, though not until after a SWAT team was called in because he refused to leave the vehicle.

While in custody, Alcala said he was drinking when he made the threats and “he didn’t intend on following through.”

Alcala was charged again in February after a new set of threats. The criminal complaint in that case said Alcala called a woman representing him at a pending guardianship hearing. When he was belligerent on the phone, she switched to using email to communicate with him. Eventually, she told Alcala she was withdrawing as his attorney.

Alcala responded “I will kill you if you withdraw,” and made additional threats against the courthouse and judge.

Alcala faces two counts of battery or threat to a judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer, along with single counts of making terrorist threats and threats to injure/accuse of a crime.

Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes announced Wednesday that Alcala “is back in the Chippewa County Jail.”

“He was extradited from Texas back to Chippewa County as he violated his bond. We will continue to house him in our jail and all of his court proceedings will still be handled in Eau Claire County, as Eau Claire County is the special prosecutor overseeing the matter since the threats were directed at the the Chippewa County Court system.”

A status conference in the case is scheduled for July 31.