SEATTLE — Seattle police arrested a city fire department employee in connection with threats made to a city council member on Feb. 12.
In a statement, authorities said the 42-year-old man was booked for cyberstalking, computer trespass and identity theft as part of an ongoing probe.
The Seattle Fire Department confirmed to KING 5 that the employee is firefighter/EMT Andrew Finseth, who was arrested Friday while coming off duty.
Finseth, who was named Seattle Firefighter of the Year in 2018, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the upcoming legal process and internal investigation, according to the fire department.
The statement from the police department did not identify the city council member, but in January Sawant said she had received threats from an email address that appeared to belong to a Seattle Fire Department employee.
In a January, letter asking the mayor and fire and police chiefs to investigate, Sawant shared one email sent in December that said: "If you need help leaving, try jumping head first off the top floor of your building. I’ll even come push you.”
She later received an email with the subject line: “Time to announce your expiration,” which included: “The time is here, and you will not have a place after tomorrow council woman. Announce your resignation now, or else.”
Police said there was an initial investigation into a fire department employee, which led them to a second employee of the organization. The first employee was eliminated as a suspect, but the second employee now faces charges, authorities said.
Finseth made his first appearance in court Feb. 13 where the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office argued there was probable cause for felony harassment, second-degree identity theft and first-degree computer trespass. The judge agreed.
The judge ordered Finseth does not have contact with Sawant and a fellow firefighter in any capacity.
Finseth's next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 17.