BAY COUNTY, Fla. — A New Hampshire man has been convicted on multiple charges after sending a series of threatening messages to his girlfriend and others, authorities said.
Daniel Paul Sansone, 26, was found guilty Friday of three counts of aggravated stalking, three counts of written threats to kill or do bodily injury, and one count of domestic battery, according to State Attorney Larry Basford. A jury deliberated for just eight minutes before returning the verdict. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10 before Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay.
The charges stem from a July 21, 2024 incident when Bay County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded after Sansone’s girlfriend reported he had battered her and left their residence, claiming he was on his way back to harm her and others.
Prosecutors said Sansone sent a series of threatening messages during the incident.
“I will 100 percent kill her,” prosecutor Morgan McAfee told jurors, quoting one of the messages. “That was one of the many messages that Daniel Sansone sent as he committed the crimes of aggravated stalking and written threats.”
Testimony showed Sansone and the victim had traveled from New Hampshire and were staying with another couple after meeting them locally. The victim told the court the violence began during an argument when Sansone threw her phone and struck her. The following day, she said he tried to force her to leave with him before she escaped by climbing out of a car window. Sansone then drove off with the vehicle and their belongings.
Prosecutors said Sansone continued sending messages for about an hour, threatening the victims and warning others to stay out of his way or risk becoming “collateral damage.” At one point, he referenced having bullets and stated they had been paid for with his girlfriend’s money.
Fearing for their safety, the victims went to a Bay County Sheriff’s Office substation for protection while deputies searched for Sansone.
“I want this to blow up,” Sansone wrote in one message presented at trial. “And I want to drag everyone down with me… I want to get shot by the cops tonight.”
He later added, “There’s no veiled threat… I will 100% kill her.”
Deputies eventually located Sansone’s vehicle and took him into custody without incident.
The victim told jurors the experience continues to impact her life.
“It still affects me to this day and I don’t think it’s ever going to stop,” she testified. “I keep my life very private now… I’m afraid to leave the house, scared for my son.”
Basford praised the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for quickly apprehending the suspect before anyone was harmed.