Man from Orange gets special probation for threatening Facebook post

Jeffrey Hanson Jeffrey Hanson Photo: Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Man from Orange gets special probation for threatening Facebook post 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN — A man from Orange who posted on Facebook what police deemed a threatening message about participants in last year’s New Haven Puerto Rican Festival has been granted accelerated rehabilitation, which could result in the second-degree breach of peace charge being dismissed.

Police said Jeffrey Hanson, 53, of High Plains Road, posted a message on the WTNH Facebook page last Aug. 7 stating: “This is why we need 30 round magazines.” The comment followed the news station’s article titled “City Of New Haven prepping for this weekend’s Puerto Rican parade.”

There was no violent incident associated with the festival, which was held Aug. 10 on the New Haven Green. But the Facebook post prompted police to deploy more officers, including a SWAT team and personnel from the Hazardous Device Unit. The FBI investigated the posting.

The threat jolted many in New Haven, especially since it came several days after a gunman shot and killed 22 people and injured 24 more at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. The suspect reportedly told police he wanted to shoot as many Mexicans as he could. He also reportedly had posted online a racist screed aimed at Hispanics and immigrants.

According to the New Haven police warrant, a person using the name “Jake Wilson” posted the message. His profile photo on Facebook was an image of Captain Quint from the movie “Jaws” pouring beer into the mouth of a shark. The cover photo was the Betsy Ross American flag and the “intro” portion of the Facebook page stated: “African American homosexual conservative. Democrats hate me because they can’t own me.”

Special Agent Anthony Duback of the FBI Joint Terrorism Unit was able to identify Wilson as being Hanson, who is a white man.

On the afternoon of Aug. 9, the day Duback identified Hanson and pinpointed his address, Duback, accompanied by members of the New Haven and Orange police departments, went to Hanson’s home.

“Hanson admitted to placing the Facebook post,” the warrant stated. The document also quoted Hanson saying he had “been expecting this” and asking: “What took you guys so long?”

“Hanson stated he had no intention of creating an issue,” the warrant added. “Hanson stated he only put that out because he was bored. Hanson stated it was really stupid and apologized. Hanson stated he neither had nor has any intention of hurting anyone.”

According to the warrant, while police were interviewing Hanson, his wife showed up and her husband told her: “I did something stupid on Facebook.”

Hanson’s wife told the police she was completely unaware of the post. But she was quoted saying: “Jeffrey is very opinionated and sometimes really stupid.”

The warrant also said she told police she “does not know what Jeffrey does throughout the day while she is at work.”

The wife confirmed Hanson’s statement that he did not own any firearms.

A few hours after his arrest that day, Hanson posted a $50,000 bond and was released.

When Hanson appeared in court Aug. 12, the conditions of his remaining released included having no weapons, firearms or ammunition and deactivating all social media accounts.

According to the Connecticut Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification Program, on Jan. 21 Hanson’s disposition hearing was scheduled for Jan. 21, 2022. Under accelerated rehabilitation, which is granted to those with no previous criminal convictions, a defendant is placed on probation for up to two years. If the defendant satisfactorily completes the program, the charges are dismissed.

Hanson’s attorney, Douglas Rudolph, said neither he nor Hanson wanted to comment on the case. The court file has been sealed because of the accelerated rehabilitation agreement.

A message seeking comment was left with the prosecutor . The judge in the case was Superior Court Judge Philip Scarpellino

randall.beach@hearstmediact.com