‘Brian Kil’ faces Maine charges in addition to Indiana cyberterrorism counts
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Buster Hernandez, or “Brian Kil,” a pseudonym he used online, is now also connected to threats in Maine.
Hernandez, 26, of Bakersfield, California, faces additional charges of sexual exploitation of a child, threats to use explosives and threats to injure as part of the Maine case. The charges were announced as Hernandez appeared in federal district court in Indianapolis on Wednesday. Prosecutors in Maine have named Hernandez as a suspect in Maine in connection to the “Purge of Maine” Facebook page, which featured girls from Maine in sexually explicit photos.
Hernandez was arrested in early August for what investigators say was his role in a cyberterrorism case in December 2015. The threats in Indiana caused both Plainfield and Danville high schools as well as a mall in Plainfield to close temporarily.
According to investigators, Hernandez would message underage girls online and manipulate them in order to send him explicit photos. When the girls would no longer comply with Hernandez’s demands, he then began threatening violence against the victim, their school and classmates.
In Indiana, Hernandez was charged with threats to use an explosive device, threats to injure and sexual exploitation of a child.
In addition to Indiana and Maine, Hernandez is thought to have made similar threats to teenagers around the country in as many as 10 states, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Inside the courtroom were some former Plainfield High School students. They went to the hearing to see the person behind the online threats.
However, one woman expressed being surprised by Hernandez’s soft-spoken demeanor to the judge.
“He didn’t sound like a man,” said Savannah Loudermilk, former Plainfield High student.
Prosecutors called Hernandez a flight risk and dangerous and asked the court that he not be released before trial. Hernandez’s next court date is set for Sept. 8 in federal district court in Indianapolis.
