San Diego Man Intended to Intimidate Hate Crime Victim in Threatening Email After Interview on KTLA News

A San Diego man has pleaded guilty in federal court to sending a threatening email to a member of the LGBTQ community, admitting that he targeted the victim due to her sexual orientation.

George Joseph Wellinger II, 49, acknowledged in his plea agreement that he sent the message with the intent to intimidate the victim, who had been interviewed for a KTLA news report following a high-profile hate crime in August 2023. The report covered the murder of Laura Ann Carleton, a business owner who was fatally shot for displaying a Pride flag outside her store in Lake Arrowhead.

Court documents indicate that Wellinger’s email included derogatory language and threats of violence, referencing the news segment in which the victim had appeared. The message also made explicit threats, suggesting the sender knew the victim’s whereabouts.

Wellinger pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting a threatening communication, a federal offense that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Prosecutors noted that the charge includes a special finding that the threat was motivated by bias against the victim’s sexual orientation.

His sentencing is scheduled for June 9, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez. The case was investigated by the FBI, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacqueline M. Jimenez and Alicia Williams are leading the prosecution.

Authorities encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of a hate crime to report it to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. More information on federal efforts to combat hate crimes is available at www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.