Man’s threatening phone calls to Burr, Tillis and US Marines result in federal charges

A 51-year-old expatriate living in Thailand called the Raleigh offices of U.S. Sens Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, threatening to murder them and their staffs out of anger at receiving unsolicited emails, according to federal court records.

Eric Charles Welton, who had been living overseas for more than a decade, faces 10 years in prison if convicted on one count of threatening a federal official. More charges could soon follow, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said in a Tuesday news release.

In September 2021, Burr and Tillis received roughly seven calls from a man at an unknown number, each referencing his anger over receiving a large number of unsolicited Republican party emails and threatening to kill the senators and their staffs, “among other things,” according to an affidavit in Welton’s criminal complaint.

‘Threats of violence’

“Our elected representatives and the public servants who staff their offices must be free to do the people’s work without threats of violence,” Easley said in the release. “Violent threats against our democratically elected representatives do not just erode our civil discourse — they can undermine our democracy. We will hold accountable anyone who threatens violence targeting our bedrock institutions.”

In several of the calls, Welton identified himself and gave an email address, the affidavit said. On Sept. 29, 201, Welton reportedly called Tillis’ office and said:

“Maybe I gotta go down there to 310 New Bern Avenue and just kill everybody I see ... What I hear is I should fly back over there, walk into 310 New Bern Avenue and teach you what ‘Stand My Ground’ means, put a bullet through each of your heads.”

He then asked, “How do we get this message through to Thom boy?” according to the affidavit.

Welton finished his call, court records said, by pledging to find the person sending him emails “cut their (expletive) hands off and shove them up their (expletives.)”

Shortly afterward, the FBI interviewed Welton’s father in Iowa. He told agents his son had been living in Thailand for 14 or 15 years but came back for several months during the pandemic. The two spoke on the phone several times a week.

‘Goint to kill a bunch of Marines’

He further informed agents that he had already spoken with police in Charles City, Iowa, after Welton’s complaints about receiving 600 emails. Welton was a Socialist “set off by ideas he did not agree with,” and had also called the White House switchboard, the father reported, according to the affidavit.

Listening through his hearing aid, the father heard recordings of the Raleigh phone calls and told agents, “That could be Eric,” the affidavit said.

Easley’s office also reported that in October and November of 2022, Welton made threats against U.S. Marines and others working at the U.S. Consulate in Thailand. In one voicemail, Welton allegedly stated that he was “going to kill a bunch of Marines” over an immigration issue.

“It is unacceptable to make violent threats against anyone,” said Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Charlotte, in a news release. “And when threats are directed at elected officials or members of the armed forces it can impact their abilities to serve our country effectively.”