FBI raid in Gualala leads to federal charge over alleged online threat
64-year-old retiree responded to anti-gay remarks made by a Montana state legislator to a private group of friends — whom he maintained touch with through Facebook
A crowd of FBI agents swarmed a home on Robinson Reef Road in Gualala on the morning of March 10, drawing the attention—and concern—of onlookers at a Mexican restaurant across the street.
But who was arrested, and why? Unlike the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and local police agencies, federal authorities often keep arrest details confidential.
“We are not providing any additional information other than we conducted court-authorized law enforcement activity at the location yesterday,” FBI spokesperson Cameron Polan told MendoLocal.News in mid-March.
MendoLocal.News has since learned the target of the operation was Kevin Krause, a 64-year-old retiree who purchased his Gualala home seven years ago.
The case stems from a private social media post Krause made on September 2, 2025, to his curated group of friends. In the post, Krause criticized remarks made days earlier by Montana State Representative Lukas Schubert. At the time, Krause was in Michigan.
Schubert had written on X that “the LGBTQ movement needs to be classified as a terrorist organization,” referencing a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis in August.
According to federal authorities, Krause’s defense of his gay and lesbian friends crossed a legal line. A grand jury indicted him on February 25, 2026, on a charge of transmitting an interstate threat via the internet. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Krause was arraigned March 31 in federal court in Michigan before Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris and entered a plea of not guilty. Prosecutors did not seek his detention, and both the government and defense agreed he could remain free pending trial.
The judge ordered Krause released on a $10,000 unsecured bond with a series of conditions. He must report to pretrial services, surrender any passport, and is prohibited from obtaining new international travel documents. His travel is restricted to California, the Eastern District of Michigan, and routes between the two, unless he receives prior approval.
Krause was also ordered to have no contact—direct or indirect—with Schubert, and to refrain from possessing firearms or other weapons. Additional conditions prohibit excessive alcohol use and any use of controlled substances, including marijuana, which remains illegal under federal law.
The court also barred Krause from engaging in any threatening or intimidating behavior and required him to comply with drug testing or treatment if directed by pretrial services.
Because Krause has ties to both California and Michigan, the court addressed how his supervision would be handled. His primary supervision will remain in California, but if he stays in Michigan for more than two weeks, he must notify pretrial authorities, who may transfer supervision between districts during that period.
An in-person jury trial is scheduled for August 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before District Judge David M. Lawson in Bay City, Michigan.
Krause remains out of custody as the case proceeds.
Change log
Story edited to clarify that the comment was made to a private group of friends, which is slightly different from a private group, which we originally reported. May 2, 2026
Waiting to hear more
What did he actually write? That detail seems essential to evaluating the charge.