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Man from Branson Pleads Guilty to Threatening Los Angeles, CA County Sheriff’s Office

A man from Branson has pleaded guilty to threat charges after he sent a violent threat to employees of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.

27-year-old Joshua Bippert pleaded guilty in U.S. District court to one count of transmitting a threat across state lines to injure another person.

Bippert confessed to sending a private message on Instagram to the California patrol office in September of 2020 after deputies arrested a man for carrying a firearm.

A direct quote of the message reads, “recently, a couple of your officers arrested a man for owning a firearm. If you want more of your officers to end up like the two that got shot while sitting in their patrol car, then go ahead and keep the charges. Release the man who did nothing wrong but keep his second amendment rights, or there will be blood. This is a threat.”

The first part of the threat is in reference to a shooting a week prior to the message being sent in which two Los Angeles County deputies were shot and killed.

Investigators also found several other messages and social media posts where Bippert threatened violent action.

Bippert’s guilty plea carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.