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ST. GEORGE — A Hurricane man has been sentenced to probation for threatening on Instagram to blow up the White House.
David Grant Torrey, 24, pleaded guilty Feb. 22 to threat of terrorism, a third-degree felony. The charge was reduced from a second-degree felony as part of a plea deal.
Torrey was given credit for 50 days already spent behind bars and a prison sentence of up to five years was suspended. Instead, he was fined $43 and sentenced to 36 months of probation with a private probation provider.
On Jan. 2, prior to now-former President Barack Obama's departure from the White House, court documents say Torrey left threatening comments on the White House Instagram page saying he would "detonate a bomb strapped to my chest."
Torrey's comments included "additional threats toward President Barack Obama, his family and White House staff members," the charges state.
Torrey also wrote in his comments at one point that "it is a big enough bomb to kill everyone there right now YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED," according to court documents. He allegedly later commented that "You have TWO minutes!"
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Police: Hurricane man arrested after threatening to blow up White House
A 24-year-old Hurricane man was arrested Monday after police allege he threatened to blow up the White House, according to a jail report.According to court records, Torrey also pleaded guilty in February 2015, April 2016 and June 2016 to making threats to blow up various buildings.
Rachelle Shumway, deputy Washington County attorney, said Torrey has a long history of mental health problems and prosecutors cut a deal with him after his application to mental health court was denied.
Shumway said Torrey wasn't admitted because mental health court in the county has limited funding and a narrow list of mental health diagnoses it can address.
Torrey told prosecutors he made the threats because he was cold and hungry and needed a place to stay. "The main focus of my plea agreement was making sure the defendant received mental health services and had stable housing," she said.
