A Milwaukee man accused of threatening West Allis Police detectives and their families via text message now faces trial.
Most of the messages we can't share due to the nature of the content, but they include threats against a detective, his partners and his family.
In one, the sender writes "better keep y'all vest on... you and yo partners the prey we gone see if y'all can dodge these 223 bullets."
Court documents say the messages came to the detective after he gave his number to Chauncey Erby.
The records indicated the detective and his partners interviewed Erby in a drug possession case in which "Erby was cooperative... and confessed," according to documents.
It said the detective gave Erby his business card with his work-issued cell phone number on it. That is the phone where the messages were sent.
Another text read "I know wat u driving I did my research on you... u boys in trouble," according to the criminal complaint.
Now, Erby faces three counts of threatening a law enforcement officer and a charge for breaking conditions of his bond in the original drug case, for which he also faces charges.
"While it is not uncommon for individuals to make vague threats or vulgar statements to officers at the time of their arrest," said Deputy Chief Christopher Botsch of West Allis Police. "It is rare that an individual would go out of his way to make direct contact with an officer via electronic communication to convey a direct threat after they have been released."
Botsch said that's one reason an investigation and subsequent charges happened quickly.