A North Dakota man has been indicted for making a threat against an Augusta National Golf Club employee.
The grand jury for the Southern District of Georgia returned an indictment against Joseph Armand Zimmer, 48, of North Dakota, on a charge of threats in interstate communication, said Tara M. Lyons, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Zimmer was arrested on April 8 in Las Vegas and had an initial appearance in federal court in the District of Nevada on April 9. He appeared in federal court in the District of Nevada on April 9, 2025, for an initial appearance. According to a press release from U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, he will have to appear in the Southern District of Georgia to answer to the charge.
“Those who make threats against members of our community in violation of federal law will be held accountable, as we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who seek to intimidate and instill fear in our citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons.
In court it was stated that on Feb. 18, 2025, Zimmer made a call to the Augusta National Golf Club and during the phone call, made several threats of violence to the person who answer the call. The threats included that he would “throw [the individual] in a cell and have [her] set on fire,” and that he would “blow [her] head off.”
With the charge, Zimmer faces up to five years in prison and there is no parole in the federal system.
“The FBI treats threatening communications with the utmost seriousness and will dedicate all available resources to locating and prosecuting those responsible for such actions,” said Paul Brown, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. “We trust that this indictment sends a clear message to anyone contemplating making threats, whether genuine or fabricated, through electronic means.”
Criminal indictments contain charges only. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes.
