SBI spokesperson Chad Flowers stated that the bureau arrested Street on Friday following a request for assistance from the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office. According to the SBI, Street, who is 44, had made a series of Facebook posts regarding a proposed ban on inshore shrimp trawling.
One of his posts, allegedly made June 18, referred specifically to Sen. Bill Rabon, who has been pushing for a ban on shrimp trawling in Raleigh. According to state investigators, Street wrote, "he/they be warned now you deserve to lose your lives and that all senators in Raleigh need to understand what happened to Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman in Minnesota can happen here in North Carolina."
Hortman and Hoffman, two Minnesota state legislators, were shot in their homes earlier this month. The Facebook post has apparently been deleted.
Communicating threats to a legislative agent is a felony in North Carolina, and Street is currently being held in Brunswick County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
#whitebootbrotherhood
It's unclear whether Street is directly connected to the shrimping industry. But over the past week, he has repeatedly taken to Facebook to discuss the proposed ban.
"Thank you for the birthday wishes! I'm praying for the Lord to bless you and for those folks in Raleigh to end their attack on the #whitebootbrotherhood," he wrote on Friday – apparently his last post prior to arrest.
Street was referring to fellow shrimping advocates. This month, many have voiced opposition to House Bill 442, a bill originally sponsored by Rep. Frank Iler of northern Brunswick County that would pilot a longer recreational red snapper and flounder fishing seasons in North Carolina. But after the bill landed in the Senate Agriculture, Energy and Environment Committee, Rabon introduced an amendment to ban shrimp trawling within a half mile of the coastline.
The move has stoked outrage within North Carolina's shrimping industry. Some shrimpers said their livelihoods will be devastated by this legislation. Proponents of the ban said that inshore shrimping harms native fish populations, like spot and flounder, as well as federally protected species like sea turtles and sturgeon. North Carolina is the only state allowing inshore shrimp trawling on the East Coast.
The bill has split coastal Republicans, with some elected officials decrying the ban, and others calling it necessary for the preservation of North Carolina's fishing industry. The bill is headed back to the House for a vote on June 25th. If passed, the ban would go into effect on December 1st, 2025.
Cape Fear region officials respond
Street's arrest has made waves in Brunswick County, where he sat on the District Soil and Water Conservation board. On Tuesday, director Elliot Swain issued a statement condemning Street's comments.
"As stewards of our natural resources and representatives of the public interest, we believe that civil discourse, mutual respect, and adherence to lawful conduct are essential to a functioning democracy," he wrote. "Threats of violence—whether verbal, written, or implied—have no place in our community and undermine the principles of public service and civic engagement."
Swain told WHQR that the board was "appalled" by Street's posts. Street is still a member of the board, but Swain wrote that the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Commission retained authority over supervisor removal. The state division has not yet responded to WHQR's requests for comment.
County commission chair Mike Forte also released a statement on Tuesday addressing Street's arrest.
"While the Commissioners do not have any authority over this individual or the board they were elected to, we strongly condemn any kind of language that perpetuates violence or threats against anyone—ever." he wrote. “All elected officials must strive for respectful and peaceful dialogue and behavior, even when they may disagree or have different opinions. There is no place for this kind of potentially harmful speech in our county, state, or nation."
District attorney Jon David has not yet responded to WHQR's requests for comment, but on Tuesday, commented on Street's charges.
“I am well aware that Facebook posts frequently involve harmless ranting and exaggeration that are not meant to be taken seriously,” David told WECT. “However, it is the opinion of law enforcement that the statements in this case cross the line from political hyperbole and into threatening criminal behavior. Mr. Street’s statements should not be viewed in isolation and are more properly considered in the context of the senseless murders which recently occurred in Minnesota.”
Rabon has not yet responded to WHQR's requests for comment. SBI stated that the investigation is ongoing.
