Man Who Threatened Portland Police Fascinated By Law Enforcement

The Norwegian man who threatened Portland Police through email and Twitter has a mental disorder and says he's fascinated with American law enforcement.

The Portland Press Herald reports that 28-year-old Espen Brungodt has Asperger's Syndrome and sent the emails because he wanted to get arrested. According to the FBI, however, he did not intend to take any action against police. He told investigators that he felt an adrenaline rush when he watched police from his hotel room as they responded to his emails.

Brungodt's father, Arvid Anderson says he was shocked by his son's actions, stating that his son usually shies away from any sort of confrontation. He's purchased a plane ticket for his son, so he could return to Norway while he awaited his trial. But Espen is currently being held without bail as the judge has concerns that he will issue more threats or will not return after traveling home.

Defense attorneys are trying to get the charges reduced since the threats were a part of the man's Asperger's and that he never intended to carry out any violence. But prosecutors say he understood the result of his actions when he lamented that, had he known Presidential nominee Donald Trump was due in town the next day, he would've waited 24 hours to issue his emails.

Brungodt was visiting New England with his father and his sister, Linn. They had spent several days in Boston, then traveled to North Conway, New Hampshire before ending their trip with a couple of days in Portland. If convicted, he faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.