New Jersey man who issued death threat to sheriff extradited to Volusia County

SANFORD - The New Jersey man who suggested in a chatroom that white supremacists murder Sheriff Mike Chitwood and get him out of their way in Volusia County got to meet the lawman Monday.

Richard Golden, 38, of Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, arrived at the Orlando Sanford International Airport Monday afternoon and was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail.

Golden was led off the plane by two members of the extradition team from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. Upon reaching the bottom of the escalator in the check-in lobby of the airport, an investigator introduced Golden to the sheriff.

"I am Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. I hope you enjoy your stay. Welcome to Florida," Chitwood said as Golden went past him.

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There was no reply.

Golden was arrested in New Jersey on March 6 and charged with second-degree felony written threats to kill or injure. Authorities described him as an unemployed, anti-law enforcement person who was living in a back bedroom at his mother's house.

Golden made the threat after Chitwood denounced a white supremacist group for spreading fear and antisemitic hate literature about the Jewish community in Volusia County.

"Just shoot Chitwood in the head and he stops being a problem," Golden wrote in the chat room, according to the sheriff. "They have to find a new guy to be the problem. But shooting Chitwood in the head solves an immediate problem permanently. Just shoot Chitwood in the head and murder him."

A large crowd gathered in the check-in lobby of the airport after seeing the media present and talked to Chitwood. After Chitwood explained to a man that Golden had threatened to put a bullet in his head and that the accused was being brought to Florida, the traveler was surprised.

"This I have to see. He was on my flight and I didn't even know," the man said, pulling out his cell phone and readying his camera.

After Golden walked away from Chitwood, he spoke to the media outside the airport.

"Nothing," Chitwood said when reporters asked if Golden said anything. "You saw what he did, He walked right by me."

Describing Golden as "gutless", Chitwood said people like Golden spread fear in communities. People who follow hate groups spend many hours on computers following their hate-filled rhetoric, he said.

"They threaten to put bullets in people's heads and they don't think they are going to be held accountable," Chitwood said. "Well, we are going to hold you accountable."

Chitwood said there are two other investigations that might result in extraditions to Volusia County.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Man who threatened to kill Sheriff Mike Chitwood arrives in Florida