New Jersey man who threatened Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood sentenced to a year in prison

A New Jersey man who threatened Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood and whom the sheriff greeted at the airport in Sanford when he was extradited was sentenced Friday to 366 days in state prison.

Richard Golden, 39, of Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, was the first of a handful of men across the country and as far away as Alaska who have been arrested after being accused of threatening Chitwood. Golden's is the first case to be resolved.

Circuit Judge Karen Foxman on Friday adjudicated Golden guilty and sentenced him to 366 days in prison. She gave him credit for 29 days time served in jail. She also ordered that Golden pay $2,112 in restitution for extradition costs.

Chitwood became the target of threats after he denounced a white supremacist group for spreading antisemitic hate propaganda in Volusia County. Golden posted in part on a 4Chan chatroom: "Just shoot Chitwood in the head and he stops being a problem."

"You are talking to an audience that's already incited and you're inciting more violence and possible murder," Foxman said.

She said he was threatening another human being.

"Sheriff Chitwood made some comments in connection to his job that he has a right to make," Foxman told Golden. "So somebody is out there, an elected official, doing his job and he is being threatened on this message board. To say it’s inappropriate doesn’t even come close because it is reckless disregard for safety when you are saying it to this audience."

Foxman also referred to an earlier motion in which Golden's defense attorney argued the posting was not a threat.

"Frankly, of course it is, because when you are inciting violence against another person that is a threat and it affects their life ..." Foxman said.

At one point the judge described the online conversation involving Golden as "dangerous."

Golden interrupted, saying, "It's extreme."

"Yeah, I would agree with you, it's extreme," the judge said.

Foxman said she took into account that Golden had no prior criminal conviction. His defense attorney said he had a prior arrest but the charge had been dismissed. She also said she took into account that Golden had taken some responsibility for his actions.

Golden entered an open plea on Oct. 30 to written threat to kill or injure, a second-degree felony, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The open plea meant there was no agreement with prosecutors on punishment. State sentencing guidelines gave the judge discretion on whether to sentence him to prison or probation.

Golden's defense attorney, Matthew Thompson, asked the judge to sentence Golden to probation. Under questioning by Thompson, Golden testified that he lived with his 72-year-old mother, who suffered from necrosis of the hip. He said he cares for his mother, taking her to doctors' appointments and helping her with other tasks, such as food preparation.

Thompson asked Golden how he felt about the media coverage the case has received as Chitwood greeted Golden at the airport and held press conferences.

"In a lot of ways it's been overwhelming, (I'm a) very private person. It was uncomfortable to say the least," Golden said.

Golden said the case has changed his views about online behavior.

"I would say that you have a greater appreciation that there are real people on the other end of these articles, news feeds, threads, posts and they are not just digital content to consume and lash out at," Golden said.

Golden said he is not affiliated with the Goyim Defense League or GDL, the antisemitic hate group Chitwood denounced.

Golden said he has never owned a gun and did not go and purchase one after making the statements online. He said he did not make any plans to travel to Volusia County, and he had no plans to carry out the threat or find someone else to carry it out.

Chitwood did not attend the hearing but Assistant State Attorney Helen Schwartz referred the judge to a “victim impact statement” Chitwood made as part of the pre-sentence investigation. Since it is part of the pre-sentence investigation, the State Attorneys Office said it was not a public record. The contents of Chitwood's statements were not described.

Schwartz asked that Golden be sentenced to prison but did not ask for a specific time period. She asked that he be adjudicated guilty so he we be banned from purchasing a firearm.

At one point in the hearing, Thompson had asked Golden, "So the things that you say have real consequences?"

Golden responded: "They do, indeed."

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Man who threatened Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood gets prison