Online threats land Lawton man behind bars

A man who pleaded guilty to terrorizing a Lawton daycare in 2021 is back behind bars after investigators said his social media activity included escalating threats against entities and the public.

Dante Nyjer Triplett, 23, of Lawton, made his initial appearance Thursday in Comanche County District Court where he received two felony charges for acts of terrorism and two misdemeanor counts of threatening to perform an act of violence, records indicate. The felony counts are punishable by up to life in prison.

Lawton Police Detective Carlos Nazario stated he began investigating Triplett in September 2022 regarding online threats.

Police first received a tip that Triplett had threatened to shoot up a facility from a man who monitors internet website for online threats. The man said his team came across a tweet on Twitter from Triplett from Sept. 23, 2022, that he was “… going to kill everyone at New Horizons on Monday!” the probable cause affidavit. “I will shoot up the school with my AR-15 and kill as many people as possible!”

Nazario stated he had investigated Triplett in 2021 for the burglarizing and later burning of Creative Moments Daycare.

More tweets from Thompson’s account were equally threatening. One from June 20, 2022, stated, “I REALLY SHOULD’VE GOTTEN AN AR-15 AND SHOT THE NEW HORIZONS REGIONAL EDUCATION FACILITY WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE!!!” the affidavit states. Other posts included threats to shoot up and burn down a New Horizons in Newport News, Va.

In August 2022, Triplett tweeted, “Do not be surprised if I become the next mass shooter of 2023” followed by another where he tweeted, “I’m going to be a professional school shooter,” according to the affidavit. He also tweeted a threat to get an AR-15 and travel to Tulsa to kill a person and his family.

A July 16, 2022, tweet from Triplett stated, “I have a secret that I want to share with everyone. I’m a child predator,” the affidavit states.

Nazario stated social media posts showed Triplett to be in Lawton at different times.

Triplett pleaded guilty to a count of second-degree arson in June 2022 for burning the daycare the year before.

Triplett admitted to starting a fire that damaged the daycare, 1421 NW 67th, the morning of June 14, 2021. He was developed as the arson suspect due to a stolen van case at the daycare the month before and was seen on security video at the Stripes, 6457 Cache Road, taken moments before the fire, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Triplett confessed to breaking into the daycare and to setting the fire. He also confessed to throwing a brick through the daycare’s back door and of taking the keys and stealing a van, records indicate.

In the two felony cases, Triplett received deferred sentencing and was admitted to Mental Health Court. On March 10, an application to terminate the deferral was requested for sentencing and a $75,000 bond was issued for each case.

The latest charges have Triplett in jail on another $150,000 bond with the order he’s to have no contact with the alleged victim or witnesses. He returns to court at 3 p.m. July 17 for his preliminary hearing conference, records indicate.