A Florida man is behind bars following a multi-agency investigation into a barrage of anonymous death threats sent to a state caseworker, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began in July 2025 when a caseworker with the Florida Department of Children and Families reported getting terrifying text messages from an unknown number. One text explicitly stated the sender had an AR-15 rifle ready for her and warned she would never see her family again.
To track down the source, Flagler County detectives teamed up with DCF staff, Volusia County Probation, and the Oregon Fusion Center. They eventually traced the digital trail back to Tyler William Stinnett, 30, of Daytona Beach.
Investigators discovered Stinnett was angry over a specific child welfare case and had been using spoofed phone numbers to send similar threats to other DCF workers and even a judge.
The search for Stinnett led authorities outside of Florida. Volusia County detectives caught up with him in February in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. He was arrested and extradited back to Volusia County, where he initially faced a dozen charges for targeting other government employees.
Following the completion of Flagler County’s specific investigation, the State Attorney’s Office issued a capias warrant for Stinnett. On July 8, he was officially served at the Volusia County Jail—where he was already locked up—with an additional charge of making written threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism.
“This coward hid behind fake phone numbers to threaten a woman whose entire job is protecting children,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said following the arrest. “We will relentlessly pursue anyone who threatens public servants, especially those who protect our community’s children. Control your anger because if you don’t, we will arrest you.”
Stinnett is currently being held at the Volusia County Jail without bond on his previous charges. His bond for the new Flagler County charge has been set at $10,000.
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