A former U.S. Naval Academy midshipman was arrested and charged after authorities say he sent an online threat that coincided with a campus security incident that prompted a lockdown in Annapolis, Maryland.
Jackson Fleming, 23, of Chesterton, Indiana, was arrested Friday and charged Sunday with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana said. Federal and naval investigators say the alleged threat was sent via a social media application the day before the arrest.
The alleged online message appears to have coincided with a separate security response on the Naval Academy grounds the same day, when the campus was placed on lockdown and Naval Security Forces cleared a building. One person was reported injured during the clearing, according to an internal Naval Academy email obtained by media outlets.
The internal message from Capt. David Forman, deputy commandant of midshipmen, said a midshipman who mistook authorized law enforcement as a threat engaged and was injured in the process. Earlier reporting also indicated that an initial threat posted on the anonymous chat platform Yodel had been traced to a separated midshipman at his parents’ home in the Midwest.
A Naval Academy spokesperson declined to comment on whether Fleming’s arrest was directly connected to that campus security action, but confirmed Fleming was enrolled as a midshipman from June 30, 2021, until Jan. 5, 2024.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, with assistance from the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Officials did not release additional details about the substance of the alleged threat or any potential motive.
Fleming’s arrest followed procedures federal authorities use when online communications are alleged to include threats to safety or national security. The single federal charge of transmitting a threat in interstate communication carries potential criminal penalties under federal law, though prosecutors did not announce any sentencing recommendations or details of anticipated court proceedings.
Officials have previously said the Naval Academy treats threats and on-campus security incidents with heightened caution and coordinate closely with federal partners when messages cross state lines or involve possible criminal activity. The FBI and NCIS routinely take the lead on investigations where digital communications and military installations intersect.
Federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Indiana will handle the charging document and any initial court appearances. Additional information about the investigation, including whether more charges will be filed or other suspects identified, was not released as authorities continue to examine the alleged threat and related on-campus events.
The investigation underscores the intersection of social media communications and campus safety at a federal military institution. Authorities said they would provide more information as permitted by the ongoing investigation and prosecutorial review.