A man with ties to Kalispell pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to threatening to blow up a Flathead County courthouse in an email two years ago.  

Kermit "Ty" Poulson, 46, entered a guilty plea to one count of interstate communication of a threat to damage property by means of fire or explosive before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto in Missoula on May 20. Poulson faces up to 10 years behind bars, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine at his Sept. 18 sentencing.  

Poulson, who was indicted on the aforementioned charge and a count of interstate communication of a threat to injure in December 2023, struck a deal with federal prosecutors earlier this month. In exchange for the guilty plea, the U.S. Attorney's Office agreed to dismiss the latter count at sentencing.  

Federal prosecutors are also expected to recommend that Poulson serve 12 months and one day behind bars.  

The FBI began investigating after a Flathead County-based lawyer reported receiving an email purportedly from antifa, a decentralized anti-fascist movement, according to court documents. In it, the author declared Poulson's innocence in another court proceeding and threatened to both blow up a courthouse and toss Molotov cocktails through the attorney's window.  

The lawyer turned the message over to federal investigators, telling the FBI that they previously represented Poulson and that he had a history of making similar threats.  

Investigators connected the email address to another account registered to Poulson, court documents said.  

Poulson was previously convicted in federal court for threatening to set the home of the mayor of Portland, Oregon on fire with Molotov cocktails. Poulson claimed a connection to antifa in that case as well, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.  

Described as homeless in a press release announcing the change of plea, Poulson is listed as being held in the Missoula County Detention Center. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].