Death Threats or "Poems"? Police Say It's the Former

A Cottage Grove man who allegedly sent death threats to his victim told Inver Grove Heights police that his text messages weren’t threats, but “poems” for his victim, police said.

Giovanni Alexis Celaya, 21, was charged with one felony count of terroristic threats in a criminal complaint issued Friday by the Dakota County Attorney’s office. If convicted, Celaya could face a maximum of five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Police said that Celaya sent a series of threatening messages to his victim on April 9 and 10, including a message indicating that Celaya would kill her. The victim became frightened, and called her parents to pick her up from work. At that time, police said, Celaya sent the victim a message telling her father to “be careful, because the brakes on her vehicle might not work." The message was an indication that Celaya knew the victim wasn't the individual driving her car at the time, police said. The victim also told police that Celaya previously attempted to run over her father, the complaint said.

Inver Grove Heights officers confronted Celaya at an apartment complex in Inver Grove Heights on April 10. Celaya allegedly denied threatening the victim, and told officers that he had been sending her poems, police said. Officers searched the victim’s cell phone and “found nothing resembling poems,” the criminal complaint said.

Celaya is currently being held at the Dakota County Jail. His next court date is scheduled for May 9.