A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has indicted Edward Arthur Owens Jr., a 29-year-old resident of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. The charges against him include making a threat to injure a local public official and providing false statements to government agents, as announced by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
The indictment accuses Owens of transmitting an antisemitic threat via a social media messaging app on May 20, 2025. The message contained derogatory language directed at the recipient, who is identified as a local official engaged with the public. The message referenced “109 countries,” which the Anti-Defamation League identifies as an antisemitic claim about Jews being expelled from various nations.
Further allegations state that on May 30, 2025, Owens made false statements to FBI special agents regarding the whereabouts of his firearms. He claimed they were in his mother’s custody and that he did not have access to them. However, it was later revealed that Owens had control over one of his firearms—a 9mm caliber Smith & Wesson pistol—at the time he spoke with the agents.
Owens remains detained following his arrest upon request by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence will depend on factors such as offense severity and any prior criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is leading the prosecution for this case, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation responsible for conducting the investigation.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an accusation and does not equate to guilt; Owens is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
