A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison after admitting to posting online threats to carry out a racially motivated mass shooting, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced Wednesday.
Joshua Cobb, 24, of Trenton, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to one count of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. In addition to the prison sentence, Cobb was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made during proceedings, Cobb used a social media platform on December 17, 2022, to post an extended message threatening to target members of the white community in a planned shooting attack. In the post, Cobb detailed his motivations, described a potential timeline, and named specific types of locations in New Jersey — including a gym and an Aldi grocery store in Robbinsville — as possible sites for violence. He claimed to have already acquired two firearms and outlined his intent to kill himself after carrying out the attack.
Cobb later joined the U.S. Marine Corps in June 2023 and was stationed in California until his discharge in May 2024. His military service ended after the Marine Corps was informed of the federal case against him. Cobb acknowledged writing the online post and told investigators that he understood it would be interpreted as a threat. He also discussed his access to weapons and expressed admiration for previous mass shooters.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that while Cobb did not carry out the attack, the seriousness of his threats, combined with his stated preparations and intent, warranted significant legal consequences.
“The public must know that making threats of mass violence, even online, is a serious federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Habba. “We will continue to take action to prevent hate-fueled threats before they turn into tragedy.”
Cobb will serve his sentence in a federal correctional facility.