Two individuals from outside Mississippi appeared in federal court this week on charges of threatening witnesses connected to the death of Nolan Wells. California resident Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce and Illinois resident Edward James Porter were indicted Monday and are scheduled to stand trial in Gulfport this fall.
Both men face felony charges carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. They pleaded not guilty during their arraignments. Federal prosecutors have argued for their continued detention ahead of trial. Porter’s trial is scheduled for Oct. 5 before U.S. District Judge Taylor McNeel, while Dumarce’s trial is set for Nov. 2 before Judge Sul Ozerden.
Jackson County Chancery Judge Ashlee Cole, one of the targets of Dumarce’s alleged threats, attended the hearing. Court records indicate Dumarce, 27, threatened to bomb Cole’s office and told her to “ask god for forgiveness” via social media messages. He is also accused of threatening Cole’s children, including her stepson Warren Hudson. Hudson traveled to Horn Island by boat with Wells and friends on July 4, returning alone after Wells decided to stay behind. Wells was found dead off the barrier island on July 6.
Attorneys representing Hudson and two other friends of Wells plan to file a defamation lawsuit against Rev. Al Sharpton, alleging false accusations linking them to Wells’ death. Sharpton denies defaming the men, stating he asked them to come forward during a virtual prayer vigil, without knowing their names.
Porter, from Berwyn, Illinois, allegedly threatened the father of another Wells friend, Bart Edmiston Jr., by sending threatening texts that included their home address and explicit threats involving violence. Edmiston, who was on Horn Island the day Wells went missing, has denied involvement in Wells’ death and intends to sue those spreading misinformation about him.
In addition, two other out-of-state individuals face charges for making threats in the case. Brandon Ephraim Washington, from Jacksonville, Florida, is accused of making threatening phone calls and messages to witnesses, while Michelle Edwards of Cincinnati is charged with calling in bomb threats to local government offices. Authorities say Edwards used a blocked number to make 21 calls, during which she reportedly issued threatening statements.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
