St. Charles man charged after alleged threats to the Missouri governor, family online

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A St. Charles man was charged with felony stalking and harassment last week after allegedly threatening Gov. Mike Kehoe and his family on the social media platform Facebook.

Daniel N. Mertz was charged Friday in Cole County with first-degree stalking and first-degree harassment. He was arrested the same day in Daytona Beach, Florida.

A warrant has been issued for his extradition.

Investigators say Mertz posted the threats on Facebook between Dec. 1 and Dec. 18. Mertz posted threats that included pictures of the Kehoe family between Dec. 10 and Dec. 18, according to a probable cause statement.

"I would have snuck up on your families [sic] home and slayed you all with my bare hands ... but I promised a veteran I would not get violent, and you sir are about to see just how hard gods [sic] vengeance hits back," one post read, according to the statement.

The governor's office thanked law enforcement for its work on a case in a statement to ABC 17 News.

"Violence and harassment, including through social media, are not acceptable," the statement says. "Threats against elected officials and their families must be taken seriously."

Mertz was in the Volusia, Florida, County Jail without bond on Tuesday.