Havertown man arrested for allegedly leaving threatening voicemails for Delaware County sheriff
MEDIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Havertown man has been arrested for allegedly leaving threatening voicemails to the Delaware County Sheriff's Office.
Sean Keenan, 40, was taken into custody on Tuesday, according to the Delaware County District Attorney's Office.
Investigators say Keenan left two Islamophobic and threatening voicemails for Sheriff Siddiq Kamara on July 18.
The sheriff told Action News he had expected to begin his birthday with a celebratory message but instead listened to the threatening calls, which he said were left multiple times on Saturday on the county's sheriff civilian hotline.
The first call came in at around 11:12 p.m., and the second was made three minutes later, at 11:15 p.m., according to officials.
In the voicemails, Keenan allegedly stated, "Death to Islam," and "I will find you, I know where you are, you're an amateur... I will find you, I will break you."
Another voicemail included the threat: "I'm going to snipe you when you least expect it, and I'm going to force-feed you your intestines."
"I was taken aback. Loss of words. I'm still at a loss for words," Kamara told Action News.
"The words used in the voicemails to Sheriff Kamara were vile, disgusting, and completely unacceptable. There is a time when language crosses the line into criminal behavior and that is exactly what we have here," said District Attorney Tanner Rouse. "Threats of violence, most especially racially motivated violence, have no place in Delaware County, regardless of who the intended victim may be. Every threat is taken seriously, thoroughly investigated and those responsible will be held accountable."
The Delaware County District Attorney's Office said detectives traced the phone number used to leave the voicemails to a 911 call Keenan made in February to report a crash. Investigators said they compared the recordings and determined the voices matched.
Police went to Keenan's Havertown home, where authorities said he admitted to leaving the voicemails.
Keenan's attorney disputed the allegation that Kamara was the intended target of the threats.
In a statement, the attorney said Keenan's wife had received multiple threatening scam calls. When Keenan returned one of the calls, he allegedly reached the sheriff's office without realizing it.
"Believing he was responding to the individual who had threatened his wife and family, he left the voicemail that is now the subject of these charges," the attorney said.
Kennan has been charged with making terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another, as well as ethnic intimidation, harassment and disorderly conduct.
"What makes this case particularly troubling is that the defendant is not from some distant place. According to the charges, he is a resident of Delaware County-our neighbor, someone who lives in the same communities we do. That should remind all of us that hatred, violent rhetoric, and threats are not problems that exist somewhere else. They can exist here, and when they do, we have a responsibility to confront them," Kamara said after news of the arrest. "I have always believed that civility is not a sign of weakness-it is a sign of strength. We can disagree without dehumanizing one another. We can debate passionately without resorting to intimidation or violence. The best of Delaware County, and the best of America, is found in respectful dialogue, good government, and neighbors who choose unity over division."
His bail was set at $100,000 unsecured with electronic home monitoring. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 7.
Officials say the investigation remains ongoing and active.
Kamara made history in November by becoming the youngest sheriff in the country and the first person of Liberian descent to hold the office in Delaware County.
"This is America; we should be able to enjoy the freedom. It doesn't matter where you come from, who you love, or who you worship; you should be able to feel safe," Kamara said.
Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to call the lead investigator, Detective Ed Rosen, at 610-891-4161.
