Houston Man Charged With Felony Threat Over Blocked Anime Access

A 35-year-old Houston man faces up to 10 years in prison after allegedly threatening to stab staff at the Texas Governor’s Office because he could no longer access anime online.

Joseph Roy Ozment was charged with third-degree felony terroristic threat to influence government, in a case that underscores the real-world fallout from the state’s digital content restriction laws.

“I don’t know which one of you sons of bitches passed this motherfucking bill to get this damn shit blocking my motherfucking anime, but you whole-ass motherfuckers need to unpass this shit,” Ozment said in the voicemail, according to the affidavit.

“Y’all are fucking ridiculous with your bitch asses. My Google account says I’m fucking over the age of 18, and your dumbass is passing these dumbass laws. I’ma fucking stab every goddamn one of you bitches. Unlock my fucking anime.”

According to an arrest affidavit from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Ozment called the Governor’s Constituent Communications line on the afternoon of July 25 and left a profanity-laced voicemail demanding officials reverse legislation he believed was blocking his anime.

A TDPS special agent characterized the message as designed to place people “in fear of serious injury” in an attempt to force the executive branch to change legislation.

The staff member who reviewed the voicemail told investigators he was in fear not only for his life but also for his coworkers and the public at the Capitol Complex.

Threat Triggers Criminal Investigation

The threat was immediately forwarded to the DPS Executive Protection Bureau and assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division.

Using an emergency location ping, investigators traced Ozment’s cellphone to Cypress, Texas, about 32 miles from his registered Houston address.

State investigators conducted analytical research before obtaining the location data.

The affidavit does not specify which anime series Ozment was attempting to access or which website was involved.

The case draws attention to a tangle of state laws that have reshaped online content access in Texas.

Contrary to Ozment’s belief, Texas has not enacted a ban on anime, and major streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Yomi remain fully legal in the state.

However, Texas does enforce age-verification requirements for adult websites, which in practice has led some platforms to block all Texas users rather than implement verification systems.

Texas HB 1181, a 2023 age-verification law, compelled adult websites to confirm users are 18 or older.

Sites like Pornhub chose to block all Texas users rather than comply.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law in 2025.

Another potential factor is Senate Bill 20, enacted in September 2025, which targets AI-generated pornography and makes it a felony to possess obscene material depicting a minor, including digital animations or cartoons.

While not aimed at mainstream anime, the law’s broad language could cause some platforms to err on the side of caution with user-generated content.

Legal Consequences and Mental Health Evaluation

If convicted of third-degree felony terroristic threat to influence government, Ozment faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Court records show he was released after posting a $5,000 bond.

His conditions of release include a requirement to undergo a mental health evaluation.

He is also prohibited from possessing firearms and ordered to stay away from the Texas State Capitol Complex and the Governor’s Office.

The case presents a stark illustration of how frustration with digital content restrictions can escalate into criminal behavior.

For the staff who received the voicemail, the threat was immediate and credible enough to trigger a DPS protective response.

For Ozment, a moment of rage over blocked anime has resulted in felony charges that could alter the course of his life.

Sources

• Kotaku
• Fox7austin