Two York County Residents Indicted For Threatening To Injure Police Officers

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Chad Stoner, age 28, and Emily Winand, age 27, both of Conewago Township, York County, Pennsylvania, were indicted on December 7, 2016, by a federal grand jury, for transmitting an interstate communication containing a threat to injure police officers and officials of Conewago Township.  The indictment also charges that Stoner was a felon in possession of a firearm.

The indictment was unsealed December 16, 2016, following Winand’s initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab in Harrisburg, on December 9, 2016.  Stoner is currently in York County Prison on state charges.

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that on or about August 10, 2016, defendants Stoner and Winand agreed that Winand would use her Youtube account to post a video on which defendant Stoner communicated a threat to injure police officers.  The indictment also alleges that on July 8, 2016, Stoner, who had been convicted of an offense punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, possessed three firearms.

The investigation was conducted by the Harrisburg Resident Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Northern York County Regional Police Department, and the West York Borough Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph J. Terz.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Stoner faces a maximum penalty under federal law of 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Winand faces a maximum penalty under federal law of 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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