Houston man arrested for threatening governor's office over online content restrictions: affidavit

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas - A Houston man is facing a felony charge in Travis County after state investigators say he threatened to stab staff at the Texas Governor’s Office over online content restrictions blocking his access to anime.

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The backstory:

Joseph Roy Ozment, 35, was charged with third-degree felony terroristic threat to influence government, according to court documents filed in Travis County. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

According to an arrest affidavit from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Ozment called the Governor’s Constituent Communications line on the afternoon of July 25 and left an explicit voicemail demanding officials reverse state laws.

"I don't know which one of you sons of b****** passed this mother******* bill to get this damn s*** blocking my mother******* anime, but you whole a** mother******* need to unpass this s***," the voicemail stated, according to the transcript included in court records. "My Google account says I'm f****** over the age of 18, and your dumb*** is passing these dumb*** laws. I'm a f****** stab every goddamn one of you b******. Unlock my f****** anime."

Due to the threat of violence, the message was forwarded to the DPS Executive Protection Bureau and assigned to Criminal Investigations Division special agents. State investigators conducted analytical research and obtained an emergency location ping, which placed the cell phone in Cypress, Texas, about 32 miles from Ozment's registered address in Houston.

The staff member who reviewed the voicemail told investigators the threat created genuine fear for his safety, his co-workers, and the public at the Capitol Complex.

Dig deeper:

The court affidavit does not detail which specific anime series Ozment was attempting to watch or which website was involved. Texas has not enacted a ban on anime, though recent state legislation requires strict age-verification procedures for adult websites and digital app stores.

Another potential factor is Senate Bill 20, a state law enacted in September 2025 targeting AI-generated pornography, which made it a felony to possess obscene material depicting a minor, including digital animations or cartoons.

Court records indicate Ozment was released after posting a $5,000 bond. Under his conditions of release, he is required to undergo a mental health evaluation, prohibited from possessing firearms, and ordered to stay away from the Texas State Capitol Complex and the Governor's Office.

Local perspective:

Austin criminal defense attorney Sam Bassett, who is not affiliated with the case, noted that the language crossed the line into criminal territory due to the explicit threat of physical harm.

"The statement probably wouldn't have been alleged as a crime, but for the last sentence of what he said in the voicemail," Bassett said. "Threatening an aggravated assault, and if taken seriously, it's certainly a serious situation for people on the governmental staff."