The Latest: Charges dropped in LGBT threat case

A federal judge has approved a request by prosecutors to drop charges against a man accused of issuing a Facebook threat to "exterminate" gay people. File photo.

WILTON MANORS, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on the dismissal of charges against a man accused of threatening to "exterminate" gays in South Florida (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

A federal judge has approved a request by prosecutors to drop charges against a man accused of issuing a Facebook threat to "exterminate" gay people.

Judge William Zloch signed the order Wednesday dismissing the case against Craig Jungwirth, who had been indicted by a grand jury with interstate transmission of a threatening communication. He had faced a potential sentence of 10 to 16 months in prison.

Prosecutors had filed a request Tuesday asking that the charges be dropped. The Sun-Sentinel reported (http://bit.ly/2iHCM3d) that the decision came about six weeks after prosecutors publicly acknowledged in court that the evidence against him was "weak."

An FBI affidavit said Jungwirth, 50, of Orlando, posted threats on Facebook against LGBT people in Wilton Manors, Florida, which has a large gay population.

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9 a.m.

Federal prosecutors are dropping the criminal case against a man accused of issuing a Facebook threat to "exterminate" gay people in South Florida.

The Sun-Sentinel reports (http://bit.ly/2iHCM3d) the decision to drop the case against Craig Jungwirth comes about six weeks after prosecutors publicly acknowledged in court that the evidence against him was "weak."

The 50-year-old Jungwirth of Orlando was charged with interstate transmission of a threatening communication.

An FBI affidavit said Jungwirth posted threats on Facebook against LGBT people in Wilton Manors, Florida, which has a large gay population. In August, the affidavit said, Jungwirth threatened to launch an attack on Labor Day that he said would be bigger than the Pulse gay nightclub shooting in Orlando that killed 49 people and wounded dozens in June.

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The Gayly - 1/4/2017 @ 11:15 a.m. CST.