A 29-year-old California man is in federal custody after allegedly using social media to threaten his estranged wife and a judge in Oklahoma, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced Wednesday. Karl Czekai faces a federal charge of making interstate threats following a criminal complaint unsealed in Sacramento.
The investigation began after Czekai’s wife moved to Oklahoma with their child and obtained a protective order against him. In court filings, she alleged that Czekai had previously held her at gunpoint and threatened her life on multiple occasions.
Federal prosecutors allege that in February 2026, Czekai began a campaign of intimidation online. The posts reportedly targeted both his wife and the Oklahoma judge overseeing their legal proceedings.
According to court documents, one post featured an avatar of Czekai pointing a firearm at a judge seated behind a bench labeled “FAMILY COURT.”
The complaint details several chilling messages attributed to Czekai, including one directed at the judge that read, “the comfort of your title, the security of your robe, the certainty of your authority — all of that is about to be tested.”
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Other posts allegedly warned the judge that she would “be the first to set the example” and stated that Czekai carried a .45-caliber 1911 pistol. Prosecutors also noted that Czekai shared videos with his wife that depicted graphic violence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the probe into Czekai’s activities, receiving assistance from the Midwest City Police Department and the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong has been assigned to prosecute the case.
If he is convicted of the charge, Czekai faces a maximum of five years in federal prison. However, any eventual sentence will be determined by a judge based on federal sentencing guidelines and statutory factors. Under the law, the charges remain allegations, and Czekai is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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