A Cottage Grove woman who made online threats to harm Black people, Jewish people and her co-workers and promised to “go out in a blaze of glory” while amassing a cache of guns and ammunition will spend another two weeks in custody before her release on intense supervision.
Elizabeth West will have spent a total of six months and three weeks in custody stemming from her sentence of time served, followed by three years of federal supervision. She pleaded guilty in April to making interstate threatening communications.
“Our goal isn’t just to punish you. We really do want you to get the stability you need and the resources you need to be healthy and not get into this kind of trouble again,” U.S. District Judge Michael J. McShane told West at her sentencing Tuesday in federal court in Eugene.
West, 56, was diagnosed recently with borderline personality disorder after earlier diagnoses for bipolar disorder, depressive disorder and post traumatic stress disorder.
Federal agents were first alerted in late September to a post by West on a “Trans Woman Support Group” Facebook page, saying she was being bullied by “trans phobic” co-workers and “at the end of my rope.” She wrote that she was left with no alternative, above a photo of two guns.
West wrote that she would “probably have to go out in a blaze of glory” and would “have to do what I have to do and pray for the gods to forgive me.”
Further investigation revealed violent rhetoric she posted on X, formerly Twitter, in December, sharing her hatred of Jews, Black people and immigrants, with photos of a Nazi flag and other guns, according to a federal affidavit.
During a January raid of her home with a search warrant, the FBI seized 11 handguns and 16 rifles, tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, firearms accessories and journals and drawings that captured her “toxic” thoughts, “abhorrently violent” scenarios and pictures that dehumanized minorities, Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam E. Delph told the court.
After her Facebook post threatening coworkers, her behavior and hateful posts “just seemed to spiral,” Delph said.
“We later learned that not only did Ms. West have the means to carry out a mass shooting, but that she had been fantasizing and preparing for such an event for ‘a long time.’ And there were no signs of that desire abating,” Delph wrote in his sentencing memo.
Assistant Federal Public Defender Kimberly-Claire E. Seymour told the judge that her client is deeply remorseful and is committed to continuing with treatment so she can return to and remain in the community safely.
The judge said West appeared to be a danger to others and to herself.
“You threatened your workplace on social media. You clearly harbored some racist and hateful ideas, and you were very well-armed with guns and ammunition,” McShane said. “These things, along with some of your mental health issues, cause everybody in today’s world a lot of concern.”
McShane decided to keep West in custody for another two weeks to ensure her probation officer lines up immediate support and resources for West. She will remain out of custody in her home while under supervised release.
He ordered West to limit her social media presence, engage in therapy, take any medications prescribed and to stay away from any guns. The guns found in her home were removed.
-- Maxine Bernstein covers federal court and criminal justice. Reach her at 503-221-8212, mbernstein@oregonian.com, follow her on X @maxoregonian, or on LinkedIn.
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