Upset about his sister's arrest, he made calls and sent e-mails to Hernando County's State Attorney's Office.
By CHRIS TISCH
Published August 7, 2003
A Largo man has been charged with threatening the State Attorney's Office in Hernando County because his sister is being prosecuted on drug trafficking charges.
Largo police on Tuesday arrested Andrew Smith, 37, on a third-degree felony charge of threatening a public servant. He was being held at the Pinellas County Jail on Wednesday in lieu of $15,000 bail.
Largo police began investigating Smith in May after Hernando County officials told them of Smith's threats. Smith made threatening phone calls to the office and sent e-mails stating: "I hope one of you motherf------ die each day," an arrest affidavit states.
Smith also said he was going to get as much gunpowder as he could, then "come to the office and take care of the whole problem," the affidavit states.
In another e-mail, Smith said: "Thank God for Sept. 11, 2001 a prey (sic) more events like that happen," the affidavit states.
Largo police said Smith is upset because his sister, Cynthia S. Orellano, 35, of 1033 Concert Ave. in Spring Hill, is being prosecuted on drug trafficking charges.
Orellano, who was a pharmacy technician, is facing 25 years in prison, said Deputy Chief John Carroll of the Largo Police Department.
Police said Smith admitted making the threats. Officers searched his S Belcher Road home and found no evidence of explosives or gunpowder, Carroll said.
Smith also was arrested in 2001 on charges of child abuse, aggravated domestic stalking and making harassing phone calls. Prosecutors only filed the stalking charge, which went to a family violence prevention program. Smith successfully completed the program, and the charge was dismissed.
