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The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office arrested two Dallas County residents for their involvement in threatening a Dallas County District Court Judge.

According to Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum, Khari Varner, 41, and Tera Strawter, 37, of Selma are charged with multiple crimes. Varner was charged with first-degree terrorist threats against Dallas County District Court Judge Vernetta Perkins-Walker. Stawther, Varner’s girlfriend, was charged with second-degree hindering prosecution.

Granthum said that Varner blamed Perkins-Walker for the death of his 6-month-old child and threatened her with bodily harm earlier in the month. Granthum also said that Varner slid a note under the door of Perkins-Walker’s office.

Granthum said that Varner temporarily resided in Las Vegas earlier in the year. Varner eventually returned to Selma and threatened Perkins-Walker.  The DCSO arrested Varner and Strawther at an apartment on Broad Street. They are in jail under no bond, and awaiting a preliminary hearing. Granthum did not know when it would take place.

“We don’t take threatening a judge lightly,”  Granthum said. “You can’t go around threatening a judge because you disagree with their ruling.”

This is not Varner’s first brush with the law. In August 2017, Varner allegedly shot 19-year-old Marquill Garner at a tire shop in Selma on Highway 80 East and was charged with attempted murder.  Former Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson said some of Varner’s charges were dropped.