Two men from outside Georgia have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly making threats against a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer and his wife. The charges allege that Frank Andrew Waszut posted a video on Instagram identifying the ICE officer, displaying photographs, and urging viewers to "make him famous" and "give him the cell block one treatment," which is described as referring to physical violence against detainees. Anthony Patrick Noto is accused of posting a comment under a picture of the officer’s wife, suggesting she would be a "pretty good target" for someone testing their new semiautomatic rifle.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg stated, “Federal agents deserve to perform their duties free of harassment from keyboard warriors and other agitators. Threatening law enforcement officers and their families is not only illegal—it’s disgusting. My office will ensure that anyone who threatens a federal agent in North Georgia, or who hides behind a computer screen to intimidate that agent’s immediate family, is found, arrested, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said: “Threats of violence against law enforcement officers and their families are not only reprehensible, but also a direct attack on the safety and integrity of our justice system. These charges serve as a clear reminder that threats of this nature will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Noto, 63 years old from Ronkonkoma, New York, was taken into federal custody and arraigned on his indictment. Waszut, 41 years old from Knoxville, Tennessee, remains in state custody in Texas where he faces separate charges related to terroristic threats against Republican lawmakers.
Both defendants were indicted by the federal grand jury on September 23, 2025. Authorities emphasize that indictments contain only allegations; both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty at trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Eric White are prosecuting the case.
Further information about this case can be obtained from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.