A man from California has been taken into custody for allegedly sending violent messages related to the disappearance of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old who vanished during a July 4 boat trip to Horn Island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. The young man’s remains were discovered two days later by a National Parks Service ranger.

Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, aged 27, faces charges of interstate transmission of a threatening communication according to federal court documents. Dumarce reportedly sent threats via Facebook Messenger to Jackson County Chancery Court Judge Ashlee Cole. One of the threats implied a bomb would be sent to her office.

“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,” Dumarce allegedly wrote to Cole on July 11.

Dumarce also allegedly made phone calls to the court’s office in the early hours of July 11. Authorities linked Dumarce to the threats through the email connected to his Facebook account. He could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the charges against him.

The threats were targeted at Judge Cole, who is the mother of Warren Hudson, a friend of Wells who was with him on the day of his disappearance. Hudson has not been accused of any crime.

Although attorney Ben Crump disclosed a “red discoloration” on Wells’ head during a July 22 press conference, Dr. Roger Mitchell, who conducted an independent autopsy, stated that the cause and manner of Wells’ death remain undetermined pending additional investigation. Official autopsy results have not yet been released.

Wells, who aspired to play Division I football, was a wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College. According to Crump, Wells decided to stay on Horn Island instead of returning to the coast with his friends as evidenced by records from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

The FBI has declined to comment on the matter.