A Pike County man is facing charges in both Pike District Court and federal court, after allegedly threatening an FBI agent. Court records say Gabriel Howell, 45, of Meta, went to the home of FBI agent Randy Copley back in December, saying he wanted to report a crime. Copley, who was on leave at the time, directed him to call the FBI to make his report, and Howell thanked him and left.

On the afternoon of March 30, Copley spotted Howell driving by his house, then a couple of hours later noticed his mailbox had been heavily damaged. A large metal pipe was left in the mailbox, along with a note written on a receipt saying, “You’ve got mail, guess who. It’s not a game. It’s people’s lives. Howell has now been charged in federal court with influencing a federal official by threat. That charge carries a sentence of up to six years in prison, if he is convicted. Howell is being held in the Pike County Detention Center.