ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — A Williamsville man was arraigned Friday morning on an indictment charging him with a number of crimes from December.
Johnathan J. Rzoska, 40, is charged with two counts of Making a Terroristic Threat (Class “D” felonies), one count of Criminal Contempt in the First Degree, one count of Tampering with a Witness in the Third Degree (Class “E” felonies) and one count of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree (Class “A” misdemeanor).
Prosecutors say on December 16, 2022, Rzoska sent a threatening text message to a witness in a pending case, which violated an order of protection. Rzoska was scheduled to appear in court that morning and was taken into custody after he entered the parking lot of the Williamsville Village Court building.
Prosecutors allege Rzoska also called in a threat to Central Police Services that same morning and said he would "blow up" the Erie County Court building and Williamsville Village Court building. Both buildings were evacuated, and police searched the building.
He is also accused of sending a threatening text message to the victim on September 6, 2022.
Rzoska is due back in court on Thursday, March 23 for a pre-trial conference.
He also has another pending criminal case involving the same victim. Prosecutors say on August 30, 2022, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the Rzoska ran toward the victim while making threats. The alleged incident occurred outside of Rzoska's residence on Cadman Drive in the Village of Williamsville.
He's due in Williamsville Village Court on Friday, March 10 in connection with that case.