Florida man accused of threatening DeSantis, other officials on social media

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man is accused of making threats against Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials on an X account.

Daniel Cook, 39, was arrested Monday and charged with multiple felonies, including written threats to kill or do bodily injury.  

Cook allegedly used an X account to make threats against DeSantis, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and others. 

A New York state attorney general notified FDLE about the posts in November after Cook allegedly wrote on Nov. 7 that he was going to kill DeSantis and Bondi, calling them both a "bozo," according to an arrest affidavit.  

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An FDLE special agent reviewed the account and found other posts that referenced DeSantis, as well as a video of a man who self-identified as Daniel Joseph Cook, according to investigators. 

The state attorney’s office was able to determine the account’s email, phone number and IP address with subpoenas sent to X and Apple, according to the arrest affidavit. The information was linked back to Cook’s address in Edgewater. 

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Deputies with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office located Cook in December and asked him about posts he made on X, including one about Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood. 

Cook admitted to being the owner of the social media account and said he made the post "as an expression of frustration." He also provided investigators with his phone number, which matched the one listed on the account with the threatening posts, according to investigators. 

After the interview with deputies, Cook continued to make threats on X. He was arrested on Jan. 12. Cook has been charged with two counts of written threats to kill or do bodily injury, threatening death or serious bodily harm to an elected official and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, according to court documents.