California man charged with threatening to bomb synagogues; released on bond

A California man has been charged with making online threats to bomb synagogues in San Luis Obispo County, according to federal prosecutors. He has been released on bond while the case proceeds.

Prosecutors said the suspect, identified as 36-year-old Elijah Alexander King of San Luis Obispo, made the threats on August 28 on X, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. He is charged with threats and false information regarding fire and explosives, threats by interstate communication, and false information and hoaxes.

The suspect has been in federal custody since November 6 and has been ordered released on bond while the criminal case against him proceeds, prosecutors said. He pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.

According to the indictment and other court documents, King used an X account under the name “Billy Badass,” which was linked to an email address and phone number associated with him.

Prosecutors said he posted, “I’m gonna blow up every synagogue in a 20-mile radius,” followed shortly afterward by, “This is a real threat send the police and report me for terrorism.” About 10 minutes later, King used his cellphone browser to repeatedly search for synagogues near him.

After law enforcement contacted King about the threat and had him transported to a hospital for psychiatric monitoring, he continued posting on X. One post stated, “I got arrested and put on a 3 day psych hold for my posts against the jews,” and he also reposted another user’s message that read, “[w]e don’t need gun control. We need jew control.”

Court documents state that King’s X account contained earlier antisemitic posts, including praise for Adolf Hitler and images of weapons such as a handgun, knives, and mace.

Prosecutors said that in September and October, King sent racist voicemails and emails to the police detective who had initiated the psychiatric hold on August 28.

The FBI is investigating the case. A trial date of January 13, 2026, is scheduled, and King could face up to 10 years in federal prison on the explosives-related count and up to five years on each of the other charges, according to prosecutors.