June 29, 2024 - RIVERSIDE, California – A Northern California man and former soldier pleaded guilty on Friday to a federal criminal charge for posting online videos of himself threatening to kill multiple military personnel at the Fort Irwin army base in San Bernardino County.

Christian Ernest Beyer, 42, of Petaluma, pleaded guilty to one count of sending threats by interstate communication.

“Our military servicemembers deserve our utmost appreciation and respect, not fear and intimidation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Threats against our servicemembers, as against all public servants, cannot and will not be tolerated.”

“Mr. Beyer sought to take his personal vengeance out on innocent military members honorably serving their country, as well as their families,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will investigate all threats to American military personnel and pursue prosecution for the offenders.”

According to court documents, in October 2023, Beyer published a video on his personal YouTube page. The video is approximately three minutes in length and contains multiple threats directed at four victims and their families. The victims were specific military personnel at Fort Irwin.

Beyer is an army veteran formerly stationed at Fort Irwin who was court martialed in 2021 for assault.

He has been in federal custody since November 2023.

United States District Judge Suzanne S. Sykes scheduled a September 20 sentencing hearing, at which time Beyer will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

The FBI investigated this matter as part of its Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Matt Coe-Odess of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Source: DOJ Release