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South Carolina man charged with threatening federal prosecutor over Proud Boys case

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Members of the Proud Boys hold up white power hand signs during a Charleston Tea Party march and rally on Saturday, December 5, 2020. File/Lauren Petracca/Staff

COLUMBIA — Federal authorities have charged a South Carolina man with threatening a former assistant U.S. attorney who years ago prosecuted the leader of the Proud Boys white nationalist group.

James Giannakos Jr. of Gilbert left a series of voicemails last month threatening that the former prosecutor, her family and her co-workers would be in “danger” if anything happened to Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio, according to court documents filed Feb. 2.

The unemployed Lexington County man blamed the unnamed, Miami-based former prosecutor for outing Tarrio to the press as an FBI informant, transcripts of his voicemails show.

“I just wanted you to know that if anything happens to Mr. Enrique Tarrio, the same thing will happen to you and your family,” Giannakos said in one of the voice messages, according to an FBI agent’s sworn affidavit.

“I cannot believe you released the (confidential informant) information, if that’s even true," he reportedly said. "If anything happens to him, I promise you and your associates will pay for it. You will be held responsible.”

The charge against Giannakos, 46, carries up to five years in prison. He is currently being held in the Lexington County Detention Center.

“Those who seek violent retribution on prosecutors, former prosecutors, other law enforcement officials and individuals who assist law enforcement will be held accountable,” U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Peter McCoy said of the charge.

Giannakos was easy to track down, according to court documents.

He called the former prosecutor's law offices from the phone of a woman he lives with. He began one of the voice messages by stating, "My name is James," transcripts show.

Court documents charging James Giannakos Jr.

Giannakos left six similar voice messages with the former prosecutor's current law firm, calling its offices in Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Los Angeles, according to the FBI complaint.

The sworn affidavit does not identify Giannakos as a member of the Proud Boys, which the complaint identifies as "an extremist right-wing group that has gained a reputation for leading protests that often turned violent in cities such as Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon." 

The FBI in 2018 began describing the Proud Boys "as an extremist group with ties to white nationalism."

Canada on Feb. 3 designated the Proud Boys as a terrorist organization, alongside ISIS and al-Qaeda.

Several members of the group have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol building in which supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the seat of the federal government in an attempt to overturn Trump's defeat in the 2020 election.

The threats left the ex-prosecutor "terrified" for her family's safety, according to court documents. She asked the Miami Police Department to protect her home, and her law office installed security cameras.

News of Giannakos' arrest by the South Carolina arm of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force was first reported Feb. 4 by The State newspaper. Giannakos made his first court appearance that day, as well.

Giannakos has a previous conviction for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, according to the FBI report.

Messages left at the phone number Giannakos allegedly used to make the threats were not answered.

Allen Burnside, the federal public defender appointed to Giannakos, declined to comment, saying, "I just got involved a couple hours ago."

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim May and Elliott Daniels are prosecuting the case against Giannakos.

Reach Avery Wilks at 803-374-3115. Follow him on Twitter at @AveryGWilks.

Projects reporter

Avery G. Wilks is an investigative reporter based in Columbia. The USC Honors College graduate was named the 2018 S.C. Journalist of the Year for his reporting on South Carolina's nuclear fiasco and abuses within the state's electric cooperatives.

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