Arkansas Man Arrested For “Terroristic Threats” Against CNN

An Arkansas man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly making more than 40 harassing phone calls to CNN including death threats against at least one CNN journalist.

Benjamin Craig Matthews, 39, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, was arrested on five felony counts of terroristic threatening, nine misdemeanor counts of harassing communications and four misdemeanor counts of second-degree terroristic threatening.

The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office’s John F. Montgomery said Matthews is accused of making the phone calls to CNN headquarters between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. Local TV stations in Arkansas have reported that Matthews made a death threat against CNN anchor Don Lemon.

Deadline has not been able to independently confirm the local news reports.

Matthews remains in Baxter County jail on a $15,000 bond, and is set to make a court appearance today.