NC man charged with sending racist threats to Bakari Sellers on Instagram | columbia

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COLUMBIA — A North Carolina man was charged with sending about 65 social media messages containing racist threats to Bakari Sellers, a Black civil rights attorney and former state lawmaker.

Grant Edward Olson Jr., of Asheville, NC, was charged April 8 by the State Law Enforcement Division with stalking — a felony. Olson, 48, also faces a misdemeanor charge of assaulting or intimidating a person based on their political opinions or the exercise of their civil rights, according to arrest warrant affidavits in the case.

SLED agents wrote in the affidavits that Olson admitted to sending a slew of Instagram messages to Sellers, which threatened him and his family. The communication included racial slurs and messages connected to the killings of Black Americans, according to the affidavits.

Olson also claimed he was armed in the messages, the affidavits said.

The messages, sent between Feb. 25 and March 24, were intended to intimidate Sellers because of his political opinions and role as a civil rights attorney, according to the affidavits.

Sellers said in a statement April 11 he took any threats made against his family very seriously.

“They shouldn’t be subject to threats and intimidation like this,” the attorney said. “No one should. This isn’t political debate. This isn’t the ‘new normal.’ It’s a crime, pure and simple.”

If convicted of stalking, Olson could face up to five years in prison. He could face up to two years in prison if convicted of intimidation.

Olson was arrested on April 8 and was booked in the Richland County jail. The case will be prosecuted by the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

Call Olivia Diaz at 843-901-2995. Follow her on Twitter @oliviardiaz.

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