Texas Resident Arrested After Threatening Voicemail Over Age-Verification Restrictions on Anime

Joseph Roy Ozment, a Texas man, phoned the office of Governor Greg Abbott on July 25 and delivered an expletive-laden rant about recent age-verification laws that he says stopped him from viewing anime. The call, recorded by the Texas Department of Public Safety, included a statement that he would “stab” the employees he contacted. Travis County prosecutors have charged Ozment with a third-degree felony for making a terroristic threat, a crime punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

He has not yet faced a formal indictment. Legal analysts note that the case will examine whether Ozment’s language meets the legal definition of a “true threat,” which does not require intent to carry out the violence but does require intent to communicate a threat. The incident highlights the contentious debate over privacy-invasive age-verification measures and their impact on adult internet users.