A Berwyn man accused of threatening witnesses connected to the investigation into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells is now facing federal charges as new details emerge about his criminal history, according to NBC Chicago.
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Edward James Porter, 33, is accused of threatening to kill witnesses, their family members and responding police officers. Federal prosecutors allege Porter repeatedly contacted two people connected to the Wells investigation on July 31. In one alleged threat, Porter told a witness he knew where they lived and threatened to kill the witness and their family. He is also accused of threatening to cut up another person and put the remains in a suitcase.
Porter was arrested in Berwyn with the assistance of federal agents from the Chicago FBI Field Office apprehension team. He is being held in federal custody and is expected to remain behind bars until a hearing in Gulfport, Mississippi, scheduled for Sept. 2.
An NBC Chicago investigation into Porter’s background found that his criminal history dates back to 2011 and includes roughly two dozen arrests involving allegations of domestic violence, theft, violations of orders of protection and other violent or threatening behavior. Authorities have repeatedly described him as a potential “threat to safety,” according to records reviewed by the station.
Records also show Porter was previously accused of threatening an ex-girlfriend with a handgun, allegedly telling her he was going to shoot her. That case was ultimately dropped after the woman declined to pursue the charges, according to NBC Chicago.
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Porter is one of at least three people facing federal charges over alleged threats connected to the Wells investigation. Authorities have said the defendants do not appear to have known Wells, his family or the group of friends who were with him before his death.
Wells, a Black teenager from Mississippi, was found dead after traveling by boat to Horn Island with friends over the Fourth of July holiday. His cause of death remains undetermined, and the circumstances surrounding his final hours continue to draw scrutiny.
The latest federal charges add another disturbing development to an already closely watched investigation as authorities continue working to determine what happened to Wells.
