Loading articles...

Arkansas man accused of making threatening calls to CNN

Last Updated Nov 8, 2018 at 9:01 am MDT

This Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 photo provided by Baxter County Sheriff's Office shows Benjamin Craig Matthews. In a statement issued Wednesday, the Baxter County Sheriff's Office announced that Matthews of Mountain Home, Ark., had been jailed on multiple counts of making terrorist threats and harassing communications. Sheriff John Montgomery said Atlanta police had contacted his office to report a complaint that CNN headquarters in Atlanta had received telephoned threats against the networks staff between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. (Baxter County Sheriff's Office via AP)

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. – A 39-year-old Arkansas man has been arrested after Atlanta police accused him of making threatening telephone calls to CNN.

The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that Benjamin Craig Matthews of Mountain Home, Arkansas, was taken into custody Tuesday and remains jailed on $15,000 bond. Matthews faces multiple counts of making terrorist threats and harassing communications.

It was unclear from online jail records of he had an attorney.

Sheriff John Montgomery says Atlanta police contacted his office to report CNN’s headquarters had received threatening calls between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. The network reported more than 40 such calls were made from the same phone number.

The calls were traced to a cellphone belonging to Matthews, who also was alleged to have made threatening calls to another television network.