Man pleads in case of harassing messages to governor
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A man has pleaded no contest after being accused of sending emails to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer threatening to assassinate her, according to the Michigan attorney general’s office.
Last week, Jason Tolonen, 51, of Detroit suburb Westland, pleaded no contest in charges of using a computer to commit a crime and malicious use of a telecommunications service, the AG’s office said in a Monday release.
The release says for years, Tolonen “repeatedly sent nonsensical, harassing, racist and threatening emails to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s constituent portal.”
Michigan State Police searched his home in November of 2023 after he threatened to “assassinate the president or your governor,” and then admitted to sending the messages, the AG’s release said.
He didn’t send any more messages for months until February 2024, when he started up again, according to the AG. He was then charged.
The AG’s office said he would be required to go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and not to make repeated, unwanted contact with any individual, business or government entity. He also has to do mental health and substance abuse evaluations.
Tolonen is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12th in Wayne County.
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