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Additional Charges For Jailed White Nationalist Christopher Cantwell

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A leading white nationalist has been indicted on additional charges related to a dispute he was having last year with an unidentified person on a messaging app.

Christopher Cantwell, a New Hampshire resident who rose to prominence in 2017 after a violent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, has remained in federal custody since he pleaded not guilty to using the Telegram messaging app last year to threaten to rape the wife of the person he was having a dispute with. He also threatened to publish the person's personal information on the internet.

Cantwell was initially charged with extortion and sending interstate threats. But on July 8, he was indicted on additional charges of cyberstalking and threatening to injure property or reputation.

His lawyer, Jeff Levin, had no comment on the additional charges.

Cantwell pleaded guilty in 2018 to assault after he was accused of using pepper spray against two counter-protesters during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville in 2017. Cantwell, who has hosted self-produced radio shows, also has history of posting threatening messages over social media.

Cantwell has requested to be released on bail. A hearing, via video conference, is scheduled for July 24.

(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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