DeBary Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Online Threats

65-year-old Debary resident Michael Maguire was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday for death threats made online. Maguire will spend a dozen years behind bars followed by another eight years of probation. Circuit Judge A. Kathleen McNeilly imposed the sentence. Prior to his sentencing back in May 2026, Maguire entered a no contest plea to each of his two criminal charges: written threats to conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism and unlawful usage of a two-way communication device. Late in 2025, Maguire was said to have posted comments online threatening media members and other individuals. He reportedly referenced firearms and indicated he would commit acts of violence. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated Maguire’s apparent threats. Google and YouTube, two of the forums where the comments were posted, cooperated in the investigation. Using information from both sites, investigators connected the threats to Maguire’s phone number, home address, and internet subscription. On November 18, 2025, detectives arrested Maguire at his DeBary residence. He posted his $3,500 bond the following day and was released from the Volusia County Branch Jail. Maguire was re-arrested on December 4, records show, and has remained in custody ever since.