PIKE COUNTY, KENTUCKY MAN ARRESTED AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH THREATENING FBI AGENT
ARREST CAME AFTER TWO INCIDENTS NINE DAYS APART IN END OF MARCH-EARLY APRIL AFTER HE ORIGINALLY CONTACTED THE FBI AGENT AT END OF 2023 WITH INFORMATION THE MAN CLAIMED TO HAVE ABOUT MURDER AND CORRUPTION
DANGEROUS IMAGINATION, OR SOMETHING CREDIBLE?? GABRIEL D. HOWELL, 45, OF META, KENTUCKY; AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED ON MONDAY, APRIL 8 AT THE HOME OF A FBI AGENT IN PIKE COUNTY, KY., FOR ALLEGEDLY PREVIOUSLY MAKING THREATS TO THE FBI AGENT FOR NOT FOLLOWING UP THE INFORMATION THE MAN GAVE TO THE FBI AGENT IN DECEMBER 2023 ABOUT ALLEGED MAJOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES .
A Pike County, Kentucky man is facing charges in both Pike County District Court and U.S, federal court in Pikeville, after he allegedly threatened an FBI agent.
Federal Court records say Gabriel D. Howell, 45, of Meta, KY., went to the home of FBI special agent Randy Copley back in December 2023, saying he wanted to report a crime. Agent Copley, who was on leave at the time, directed him to call the FBI to make his report, and Howell thanked him and left.
On Saturday afternoon, March 30, agent Copley spotted Gabriel Howell driving by his house, then a couple of hours later noticed his mailbox had been heavily damaged. A large metal pipe was left in the mailbox, along with a note written on a receipt saying, “You’ve got mail, guess who. It’s not a game. It’s people’s life’s.” [
Agent Copley immediately suspected the note and vandalism came from Gabriel Howell, so he went to ask him about it at Gabriel Howell’s home the next day. Gabriel Howell allegedly admitted to leaving the note and damaging the mailbox during that conversation.
On very early Monday morning, April 8, around 2:30 A.M., Gabriel Howell returned to agent Copley’s home and rang the bell on his gate. Because of the odd hour and the previous threatening encounter, Agent Copley immediately reported the incident to Kentucky State Police Post 9 in Pikeville, after which he then went outside and held Gabriel Howell at gunpoint until state police troopers arrived.
Gabriel Howell was arrested for an outstanding warrant out of Floyd County, KY. for Failure To Appear, and he was also charged with misdemeanor third-degree trespassing, for the incident at agent Copley’s home.
During questioning, Gabriel Howell reportedly told troopers he had information about a murder and corruption that he wanted to report to agent Copley, and that he was angry because he felt he had been blown off and he damaged the mailbox to send a message. Gabriel Howell reportedly told police he wanted agent Copley to feel afraid and he returned to agent Copley’s home early in the morning to get him to investigate his allegations.
Gabriel Howell has now been charged in federal court with influencing a federal official by threat. That charge carries a sentence of up to six years in prison, if he is convicted in a trial.
Gabriel Howell is being held in the Pike County Detention Center in Pikeville.
