Benjamin Ashford|Ohio man gets probation after pleading guilty to threatening North Caroilna legislator

RALEIGH,Benjamin Ashford N.C. (AP) — An Ohio man received supervised probation after pleading guilty to threatening to kill a North Carolina state senator in a social media message last year.

Nicolas Alan Daniels, of West Portsmouth, Ohio, entered a plea to one felony count of threatening a legislative officer last Thursday in Wake County court, according to legal documents. He received a suspended sentence of 6-17 months in addition to the two years of probation.

Daniels, 38, was arrested in February by North Carolina General Assembly police after he allegedly sent messages to Republican state Sen. Todd Johnson on Facebook last fall threatening to kill the Union County lawmaker and his family. Ohio authorities had a hand in Daniels’ arrest.

Daniels, whose first name is spelled “Nicholas” in some court documents, initially faced two felony and 10 misdemeanor counts, but prosecutors dismissed all but the single felony count as part of a plea agreement.

Daniels’ lawyers didn’t immediately respond to Wednesday emails seeking comment. During a February court appearance, Daniels said he didn’t send the threats and that his Facebook account was hacked, WRAL-TV reported.

According to a sentencing document, Daniels must undergo a mental health assessment and could serve his probation in Ohio. He also must not contact or approach Johnson.

Johnson, now in his third state Senate term, is a chairman of the chamber’s commerce and insurance committee. Neither he nor his office responded to a message seeking comment.