CALLAHAN COUNTY, Texas - A member of the House of Yahweh is facing criminal charges for threatening to kill a judge and lawyers.
The man – identified as 54-year-old Tsephanyah Yisrayl Hawkins – has been charged in Callahan County for obstruction of justice and retaliation.
A complaint filed by Texas Ranger Danny Crawford alleges Hawkins intentionally and knowingly threatened to kill 42nd District Judge John Weeks.
The complaint also says Hawkins, a high-ranking member of the House of Yahweh, threatened members of a Dallas law firm of Chamblee Ryan in almost 100 emails. The 96 emails, according to court documents, were sent between 3:33 p.m. and 9:36 p.m. on March 27.
The Dallas law firm is representing the House of Yahweh in a civil lawsuit.
The opposing counsel in that lawsuit was also the target of many of Hawkins' threats.
“The emails threaten bodily harm to all parties involved, some threatening the parties with being shot, some threatening harm by knife and some by explosion,” Crawford said in the complaint.
In an email that was sent at 5:50 p.m., Crawford said Hawkins wrote: “I’ll kill the judge too. I know where he lives. Try me.”
Crawford said one of the Dallas firm’s lawyers contacted the Dallas Police Department and filed a report. That is when the Dallas Police Department contacted the Abilene Police Department and notified of the threat to Judge Weeks’ life.
The charges against Hawkins are a third-degree felony.