On February 11, 2022, in the Eastern District of New York, an arrest warrant was obtained for Jamel Jackson for threatening to assault and murder an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employee during the performance of their official duties.
According to the court documents, on or about September 2, 2021, Jackson entered the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center located in Brooklyn, New York to obtain assistance. The IRS employee assisted Jackson at a cubicle, which included a desk with a plexiglass divider between them. Jackson entered the workspace while using his cellphone. The employee asked Jackson for certain verification documents to aid with his tax issue, and informed him not to use his cellphone while in the cubicle. In response, Jackson slammed his backpack on the employee’s desk and shouted “I will snap your neck! I kill people! I’m on trial for killing people!” Jackson stood, placed his knee on the desk, and shook the plexiglass divider violently. Jackson threatened to remove the plexiglass to reach the employee. The employee activated a duress alarm. A security officer arrived and escorted Jackson out of the building.
Approximately four months later, on or about January 10, 2022, Jackson returned to the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center for a scheduled appointment. Due to Jackson’s previous conduct with the IRS, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) agents were present at the location for safety reasons. Upon entering the building, Jackson stated to a security guard, “You stupid [expletive]. I’ve been to every maximum-security prison up north,” and “I will knock you the [expletive] out.”
Subsequently, an IRS employee assisted Jackson and told him his stimulus check was sent to the wrong address. Jackson turned to a nearby TIGTA agent and stated “I’m gonna get back to prison mode.” The IRS employee told Jackson it could take six weeks before he received a stimulus check to his address. Jackson stood up, approached the TIGTA agent and shouted “I will literally do life in jail for my money! Do you understand that?” Jackson returned to the IRS employee and yelled “In six weeks…when I come back, I’m trying to find out where is my money. After that, I’m coming off my hip! You understand?!” Jackson gathered his documents and shouted “I will be back!” As he exited the building, he said to the security guard “Remember, you have to leave out this building.”
If convicted, Jackson could receive up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
Source: The facts in this case narrative come from the following publicly available document: E.D. N.Y., Aff. and Compl., filed February 11, 2022.