Key Takeaways
- Houston resident Joseph Roy Ozment, 35, was arrested and charged with a third-degree felony after leaving a profanity-laced voicemail threatening to stab members of the Texas Governor’s Office over blocked access to his anime.
- The threat appeared tied to a 2023 Texas law requiring age verification for adult sites, and the staffer who reported the message said he feared for his life, his co-workers, and the public.
- Ozment later told ABC13 he had a mental breakdown and doesn’t remember what he said, and he now faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.
A 35-year-old Texas man has been arrested in Houston after calling and threatening the governor's office for preventing him from watching anime.
According to KXAN, Joseph Roy Ozment is currently facing a third-degree felony count of terroristic threat against a public servant after calling the Governor’s Office on July 25 and leaving the following message:
“I don’t know which one of you sons of bitches passed this motherfucking bill to get this damn shit blocking my motherfucking anime, but you whole ass motherfuckers need to unpass this shit. Y’all are fucking ridiculous with your bitch asses. My Google account says I'm fucking over the age of 18, and your dumbaass is passing these dumbaas laws. I’m a fuckng stab every goddamn one of you bitches. Unlock my fucking anime."
When interviewed by authorities, the employee who reviewed and reported the message said that he "was in fear not only for his life but also for his co-workers and the general public at the [office]."
Ozment’s complaint could have been related to the 223 Texas state law that requires adult websites to verify the age of all visitors before they're allowed to access the platform's content.
Ozment spoke to ABC13 about the situation, saying: "I had a mental breakdown at the end of the day. I allegedly left a voicemail; I don't remember what I said or anything."
If convicted, Ozment could face 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
