Tampa dentist charged with sending violent, racist messages to dozens of victims, feds say

Editor’s note: This story contains messages that, while redacted, may be offensive to some readers.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tampa dentist was indicted earlier this month after he was accused of sending dozens of threats, some of which were racially charged and praised former President Donald Trump, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Richard Glenn Kantwill, 60, of Tampa, was charged with three counts of interstate transmission of a threat to injure, officials said.

The Department of Justice said Kantwill sent about 100 threats to more than 40 victims between August 2019 and July 2020.

The FBI interviewed Kantwill on Oct. 15, 2019, after someone complained about threatening messages and warned him to stop, according to a pre-trial motion for detention.

“Despite the FBI’s warning, Kantwill spent the next ten months sending threats to over 40 victims via social media and email,” prosecutors wrote, noting that they’re aware of a violent threat as recently as February.

Prosecutors allege that Kantwill “repeatedly sent threatening messages to people across the country who didn’t maintain the same beliefs as he did.”

Some of the messages seemed to include racial slurs, which were redacted.

“You, sir, are a degenerate piece of s—. read your article about The Great Donald Trump. It is so blatantly prejudiced that you don’t even attempt to be impartial, you [redacted]. You are gay…I can tell. F– you. I love what Trump does and where he stays. You ignorant [redacted] never cared about how the great ghetto [redacted] Obama and how he got rich, but your going to get a hard-on about where Trump stays. So blatantly ignorant, and liberally immoral. God bless the Great President Trump and his family. F– you and yours. Hire extra security…you’re gonna need it. I plan on f—- you up…just for the fun of it.”

Another message called a victim a “fake Reverend” and and “anti-Christian piece of s—,” according to the DOJ.

“We are going to kill you. Torture first, then death. You will deny Christ, just like Judas because you are a coward. Either way…prepare to die. You won’t see Christ….because you as re an immoral degenerate.”

The person who received that message spent about $4,500 for surveillance cameras due to Kantwill’s threats, prosecutors said.

A third message appeared to include multiple uses of a racial slur.

“Hey [redacted]..ever get tired of losing??? Cannot wait to shoot your ghetto a– in the street..you will die like every other [redacted] piece of s—.”

Kantwill also allegedly sent a threatening message to a politician, also containing an apparent racial slur.

“You are a degenerate c— and you are now the target of our own investigation. Take note because liberal [redacted] like you get raped in alleys, by really big black guys that serve our cause. So, you [redacted] are going to get raped by at least 5 [redacted] and do nothing. You are the number 1 target, you degenerate [redacted].”

If convicted on all counts, Kantwill faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

“The numerous messages Kantwill sent to various people threatening injury and death, his disdain for law and order expressed in many of his messages, his bragging about his firearms collection that he will never surrender, his expressed desire to buy illegal firearms, and his continued pattern of making threats, all show Kantwill poses a danger to the community if released,” prosecutors said.

Court records show Kantwill was appointed a public defender. WFLA.com has reached out for comment.

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