Fenton Man Charged After Allegedly Threatening Via Email To Kill Co-Workers

GENESEE COUNTY (WWJ) - Four terrorism-related charges have been filed against a Fenton man who allegedly sent an email to 34 co-workers, threatening to shoot and kill them.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton says Stephen Challis, a contractor with Flex International, was upset because he thought a report would set back a project he was working on with Nexteer Automotive in Auburn Hills.

Leyton says the email stated that the employees needed to decide who Challis would kill.

"Saying you were just joking around is not a defense, nobody thinks it's funny," says Leyton. "The chief law enforcement official of Genesse County doesn't think it's funny, and if you do it , you're going to get investigated throughly and if it's determined there is probable cause a crime was committed, you're getting charged with a serious offense."

Leyton read the email:

"Sorry to report - I will be forced to kill one of you - just to send a message to others. You pick and tell me who it is. You can vote on it and decide on Monday. Whomever it turns out to be -- don't worry - you won't feel it."

Leyton goes on to say there was an attachment which Challis referred to as "one of my favorite team building tools" which was a picture of a shotgun.

Challis was arraigned on four charges related to terrorism and is on a tether at home.

The terrorism related charges are 20-year felonies.