On January 27, 2022, the federal government filed a criminal complaint against Luke Wenke in the Western District of New York. Authored by by FBI Special Agent Andrew Clark, the complaint accused Wenke of transmitting an interstate communication containing a threat to injure another person, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c).

According to the FBI affidavit, the investigation centered on Wenke’s communications with a Minnesota-based criminal defense attorney identified in the document as “R.G.” or “Victim 1.” The attorney represented Benjamin Ryan Teeter, who had been arrested by the FBI in September 2020 on a federal terrorism charge. The affidavit states that Wenke had a “possibly-romantic obsession” with Teeter and began contacting Teeter’s attorney in September 2020.

The complaint states that the attorney repeatedly asked Wenke to stop contacting him between November 2020 and January 2022. Despite those requests, Wenke allegedly continued contacting the attorney by email and telephone. He also traveled to the attorney’s Minneapolis law office but was turned away by security. The FBI estimated that Wenke sent approximately 76 emails to the attorney between September 22, 2020, and January 24, 2022, with approximately 65 of the emails being sent after the attorney asked him to stop.

The document goes on to describe a series of increasingly concerning communications. Among other allegations, the FBI said Wenke posted online about sitting outside the attorney’s office, left a one-star Google review concerning the attorney, and continued communicating to the attorney about Teeter. The affidavit also states that Wenke purchased firearm components from a federally licensed firearms dealer in 2021 and told employees he was trying to build an “AR.”

According to the complaint, Wenke’s unwanted correspondence continued into January 2022 through emails, text messages, and handwritten letters. The affidavit describes messages containing references to being “captured,” burning things down, making phone calls to Minneapolis, and going to the attorney’s office.

The probable-cause section focuses heavily on an email sent by Wenke on January 23, 2022. According to the affidavit, Wenke discussed making numerous Minneapolis-based telephone calls and going to the attorney’s office. The message also included the statement, “I will gladly take a steel chair to your face until I get what I want here.”

The complaint says the attorney responded by telling Wenke he was “a weak human being” and agreeing to fight him if Wenke came to Minneapolis. Investigators alleged Wenke responded that the fight would happen and described the attorney as “volatile.” The affidavit also describes another email and a handwritten letter received on January 24.