New Jersey man sentenced for making online threats to murder Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A New Jersey man who made an anonymous online threat to kill Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood is headed to prison.

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39-year-old Richard Golden was arrested at his mother’s home in Monmouth Junction, NJ back in March.

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According to the sheriff’s office, Golden posted the threats in a 4chan chat on Feb. 22 where various users were discussing Sheriff Chitwood’s response to recent hate group activity in Volusia County.

An anonymous user, later identified as Golden, stated in one post, “Just shoot Chitwood in the head and he stops being a problem. They have to find a new guy to be the problem.” Later, he added, “But shooting Chitwood in the head solves an immediate problem permanently. Just shoot Chitwood in the head and murder him.”

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The posts were flagged by the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange which launched a joint investigation that ultimately led to Golden.

When contacted by members of an FBI task force and South Brunswick Police Department officers, Golden’s mother said her son rarely left the house, stayed in his room and was always on the Internet.

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Golden pleaded guilty in October to making written threats to kill or do bodily injury, a second-degree felony.

During a hearing in Volusia County Friday morning, he was sentenced to 366 days in prison. He was also ordered to pay more than $2,000 in restitution.

“Richard Golden now has a greater understanding of reality and consequences,” Sheriff Chitwood said in response to the sentence. “All it took was facing them.”

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