PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Pike County man who was arrested for trespassing at an FBI agent’s home and threatening him has now been indicted in federal court.

Gabriel Howell, 45, of Meta, is charged with threatening to assault the agent with the intent of intimidating him and retaliating against him for performing his duties.

Court records indicate Howell had gone to the agent’s home in December, saying he had information about “murder and corruption” to report. However, the agent was on leave at the time, so he gave him the FBI’s number to make his report.

In March, the agent saw Howell drive past his house, then later noticed his mailbox had been vandalized and a cryptic note that the agent viewed as a threat had been left in it.

Finally, on April 8, Howell showed up at the agent’s home again around 2:30 in the morning. At that time, the agent called police and held Howell at gunpoint until they arrived.

Howell reportedly admitted to police that he had vandalized the mailbox because he wanted to scare the agent for not taking his report back in December.

If convicted, Howell faces up to six years in prison.

He is being held in the Pike County Detention Center.