A Florida man calling himself a "Yankee Patriot" is going to prison for threatening a Michigan 911 operator.

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Michigan 911 Abuse Law

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There are rules in place for those who choose to abuse the 911 emergency system in the state of Michigan.

In Michigan, it's a misdemeanor for any person to willfully use the 911 system for any purpose other than reporting an emergency. It is also a felony if someone is injured or dies as a result of an emergency service response to a false call.

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San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
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There are serious penalties for a variety of 911 emergency call abuses that the Michigan government has posted here.

It's Illegal in Michigan to Make Threats Over the Phone

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It is one thing to abuse the 911 emergency system, but to threaten someone over the phone is another thing and can be considered a felony in Michigan that can include prison time and fines.

Florida Man Abuses 911 Emergency System While Threatening the Operator

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A 35-year-old Florida man by the name of Jonathan Joshua Munafo phoned the Calhoun County 911 emergency system on January 5, 2021, saying he was a "Yankee Patriot" and demanded to speak with an officer.

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Star Tribune via Getty Images
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According to WOOD, Munafo said, "Put a cop on the phone now or it's going to go way worse for your family. I'm telling you, this isn't a threat, it's a promise. I'm gonna cut your throat. I'm gonna make you eat your nose. I'm gonna hurt you bad for this."

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NurPhoto via Getty Images
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It wasn't just those harsh words that got Munafo in trouble, it was also the 143 calls he made to the 911 operator and keeping the phone lines busy for three hours which could have caused serious harm to others wanting to use the system who had an emergency.

As a result of his actions, Munafo has been sentenced to 2 years in prison.

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