August 19, 201

A Chesterfield County man and Marine veteran is in a local hospital after being picked up by federal and local law enforcement officials concerned about threatening Internet postings.

Brandon J. Raub, 26, was in Hopewell's John Randolph Medical Center on Saturday.

"I'm currently in John Randolph in the psychiatric ward being held against my will," Raub said in a telephone interview.

Reports of his detention Thursday have gone viral on the Internet.

Raub said Secret Service, FBI and Chesterfield police officers came to his home Thursday. "They were concerned about me calling for the arrest of government officials," he said.

He was taken to the Chesterfield police station and then to the hospital, he said.

"I talked to a Secret Service gentleman for 20, 30 minutes," Raub said. "I was very cooperative and answered everything honestly.

"I really love America, and I think that idea that you can be detained and sent somewhere without due process and a lawyer … is crazy."

Raub said he has been raising questions about 9/11 and signed a petition to reopen investigation of the terrorist attacks.

On Wednesday, Raub posted on his Facebook page, "The Revolution is here. And I will lead it."

On Aug. 11, he posted: "I know many of you think I'm going crazy, and are wondering just why I have been posting the things I have been posting. I don't have the energy to explain. Just know that a new beginning is coming."

An Aug. 5 post said, "If you are unaware of the great amount of evil perpetrated by the American Government I suggest you take … your head out of the sand. The day of reckoning is almost at hand."

And on Aug. 4, he posted, "I am standing against a great evil. I will do it all by myself if I have to."

"Our office had received a complaint about threatening posts," said Dee Rybiski, spokeswoman for the Richmond FBI office. "As we would do in any circumstance such as this, our office along with Chesterfield Police (Department) officers went to interview Mr. Raub.

"The FBI did not arrest him," Rybiski said. "We are not commenting any further."

Chesterfield police Lt. Rich McCullough said Saturday, "We were assisting the FBI in a matter. All we did was transport" him to John Randolph for medical evaluation.

According to Secret Service spokesman Max Milien in Washington, "That subject was not arrested by us on any charges."

Raub said he served in the Marine Corps from 2005 to 2011 and was a combat engineer sergeant with service in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has a home silver numismatic-coin business.

Raub said he does not own a gun.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2012/aug/19/tdmet02-chesterfield...