Man charged with harassment and stalking of former Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls

RICHMOND, Texas (KTRK) -- A man is charged with stalking and harassing former Fort Bend County sheriff and current U.S. Rep. Troy E. Nehls, R-Richmond.

Florida resident Brett Jeffery Coulter was arrested after leaving disturbing and threatening voicemails to the congressman's personal cellphone, according to a statement released by Nehls.

"Mr. Coulter repeatedly called and left disturbing and threatening voicemails where he threatened to kill me," Nehls said.

"Everybody seems to want to get violent today, and curse and verbally abuse each other, and this and that, but you just can't threaten to kill people," Nehls told ABC13. "Hopefully, he gets the help he needs."

The voicemail messages allegedly consisted of Coulter using profanity toward Nehls for him to stop using emojis in his social media posts. Court documents reveal that Coulter believed that the emojis were directed toward him.

Coulter agreed to talk to law enforcement and admitted to his mental illness history. He told police that he did not have the means, ability, or intention to travel to harm Congressman Nehls. Coulter admitted that his actions were wrong and apologized.

Documents show that Coulter told officials that he never tried to purchase a weapon after telling them that he was not allowed to possess a firearm.

Officials determined that was inaccurate, and Coulter tried to purchase a gun in Florida in 2020 but could not.

Currently, Coulter is under a Risk Protection order out of Palm Beach County, which falls under Florida's "red flag law." He is scheduled for examination on July 7.

According to U.S. Capitol Police, threats against federal lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have surged. Last year, there were nearly 10,000 reported.

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