California Man Arrested for Threatening Judge in Nolan Wells Case

A California man has been arrested for allegedly sending death threats to a judge involved in the case of Nolan Wells, a young man who disappeared during a boating trip. Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, 24, is charged with interstate transmission of a threatening communication, a federal crime that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

The threats were directed at Judge Ashlee Cole, who is the stepmother of Warren Hudson, one of Nolan's friends who accompanied him on the ill-fated trip to Horn Island. The messages were sent via Facebook under the handle “yaeyae962” in the aftermath of Nolan's death.

According to the Sun Herald, the charging documents include messages such as: “There will be a package coming to your guys office in the next few days. It's gonna blow you away when you see it. LoL. probably best to have the boys there to see as well.” The message continued: “Blood. So much blood everywhere. Hard to clean. Especially from a boat. But yours will be quick I promise.”

Investigators say Dumarce also threatened to strangle Cole's sons and sent pictures of them. Authorities linked the account to Dumarce by tracing IP addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, and street addresses associated with the account.

Warren Hudson has denied any involvement in Nolan's disappearance, recently giving a lengthy interview to Brandon Tatum. Meanwhile, Warren's father, Dr. Benjamin Hudson, has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to answers about Nolan's death.

The case highlights the intense public interest and emotional turmoil surrounding Nolan's death, which remains unsolved. Dumarce now faces federal charges, and the investigation continues.