Brandenburg

Background In 2022, Bryan Brandenburg participated remotely in divorce proceedings at the Third Judicial District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. After a bench trial, Brandenburg’s email inquiries to court staff

USA V. BRANDENDURG

regarding a timeline for issuance of a decision grew increasingly indecorous. Eventually, his insults degenerated into threats. On May 3 and 4, Brandenburg—once a prominent Salt Lake businessman—emailed court staff threats to “bomb” or “level” a variety of local targets, including “the city,” “the sacred temple,” “the State Capital [sic],” “the mayor’s office,” and “the 3rd District Courthouse.” He also threatened to bomb Ivy League schools, Rockefeller Center, and “the Federal Courthouse in San Diego to teach them a lesson.” In response, the Third Judicial District Courthouse’s security team initiated extensive security measures, including creation of an interdepartmental threat working group; coordination with the sheriff’s department to conduct background research on Brandenburg and ensure appropriate responses by the state capitol and mayor’s office; enhanced screenings of all entrants, including staff, to the…