By: Richard L. Smith
A 37-year-old man with ties to New Jersey and several locations overseas is facing federal charges after authorities said he repeatedly threatened to kill and harm victims in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
According to information released by U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer, Jarvis Shabazz, who most recently lived in Albania and also has ties to Georgia, Malaysia and Morocco, was charged in a federal indictment with eight counts of interstate threats and two counts of cyberstalking.
Shabazz made his initial court appearance and was arraigned in Camden federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King.
Federal authorities allege the threats began on October 10, 2022, when Shabazz left a graphic voicemail threatening to kill a victim and making disturbing statements about dismembering bodies.
Approximately one week later, prosecutors said Shabazz allegedly left another voicemail threatening the same victim and the victim’s children.
According to the indictment, the threatening and harassing communications continued for approximately 15 months and eventually targeted a second victim.
Federal officials said Shabazz allegedly used voicemails and text messages to deliver the threats and frequently changed his phone number so he could continue contacting the victims after they blocked him.
Authorities described the communications as containing violent imagery, racial slurs, religious references and obscenities.
Each interstate threat and cyberstalking charge carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, potentially exposing Shabazz to as much as 50 years in prison if convicted on all counts.