MIAMI – The man charged with making disturbing threats on YouTube appeared in front of a federal judge on Wednesday.
Mostafa Hussaini was arrested by the FBI last week in Davie for allegedly transmitting threatening interstate communications.
Hussaini was scheduled to be in a Miami federal courtroom Wednesday for arraignment. The hearing was postponed until Dec. 26 and Hussaini will remain behind bars until then.
Hussaini's public defender attempted to have him moved to a halfway house, but the judge gave several reasons for keeping Hussaini detained, noting the substantial evidence of threats to kill others, including animals.
The judge also pointed to Hussaini's stated dislike of several groups, saying that he might be a danger to others inside a halfway house.
Finally, the judge said he was not convinced that Hussaini would return to court if released, as he's already wanted for a bond violation related to an October 2019 case out of Georgia.
During the hearing, prosecutors presented information about additional YouTube videos not previously mentioned in the complaint. One involves Hussaini holding a knife while making threats, and the other was shot at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino.
Local 10 News reached out to the Seminole Hard Rock for comment, to which they sent the following statement:
”Seminole Police have a close relationship with Florida offices of the FBI as part of their “Safe Trails” Taskforce and the have been cooperating on this case.”
Local 10 News also learned that Hussaini’s criminal record includes time served behind bars in Arizona for an aggravated assault case.
Hussaini, 24, of Totowa, N.J., goes by Vam Vima as his YouTube handle. The videos have backdrops from all throughout South Florida, from Miami Beach to Nova Southeastern University in Davie, and inside a Mitsubishi car dealership.
According to a federal complaint, a Miami-Dade County resident tipped off the county communications department about four videos posted by Hussaini on YouTube.
The department then contacted the Miami Beach Police Department, which reached out to the FBI.
A total of 12 videos were found by the FBI that they said included threatening communications at various groups of people, including military members, religious groups and African Americans.
Hussaini faces federal charges of releasing and making threatening communications. He was charged under Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c), and could face fines or imprisonment of not more than five years, or both.