Former anchor at central Nebraska TV station accused of threatening woman

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A former TV news anchor in Nebraska has been charged with terroristic threats.

An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for Joe Scanlan, who was a morning anchor on KSNB in Hastings.

Scanlan, 27, now lives near Dallas, according to court documents.

On Dec. 1, a woman from Gibbon filed for a protection order against Scanlan.

She said Scanlan had been harassing her since September and attached pictures of text messages, social media messages and handwritten notes.

The woman blocked him on social media, according to the protection order request.

But in October, Scanlan used a KSNB account to like her posts and message her, the document says.

He was fired because of that, the woman said.

A Buffalo County judge granted the protection order on Dec. 4.

Court documents allege that the next day, Scanlan sent the woman an email saying that he was “gonna ruin” her life.

“I want you to know Ill be watching you,” he wrote, according to an affidavit. “I want you to have me in the back of your mind at all times. You’ll never know where I am, and Nebraska isn’t that far away. I will haunt you the rest of my life.”

Early Monday morning, Scanlan sent multiple threatening emails, authorities said.

“You’d better watch your back because I’m back in Nebraska and one or both of us ain’t leaving alive,” one of the messages said, according to court documents. “I promise you I will end your life either psychologically or physically and I’m leaning towards the latter.”

Scanlan faces a felony charge of terroristic threats and two misdemeanor counts of intimidation by phone call or electronic communication.

If convicted, he could face up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.