By PAUL ANDERSON

SANTA ANA — An Orange County sheriff’s sergeant testified Tuesday an Orange County Superior Court judge “had the look of fear on her face” as she read emails sent to the courts threatening to shoot up the Family Law courthouse Oct. 13, 2023.

Byrom Zuniga Sanchez, 33, formerly of Laguna Niguel, is on trial for two counts of threats by interstate and foreign communication for allegedly sending the threats after a contentious custody dispute in Family Law court over his then-5-year-old son.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Gene Minko testified about the reaction the Orange County Superior Court judge had when she was shown five emails sent to her court.

“She had the look of fear on her face,” Minko testified. “Overall, she was afraid. She was worried about her three children… She was afraid (the defendant) would abduct one if not all three children.”

Minko said he contacted the principals at all three schools to go over the pick-up and drop-off protocols and to bar Zuniga Sanchez from having any contact with the students.

Sheriff’s deputies also did “What had never been done before” and stepped up patrols at the Lamoreaux Justice Center in Orange, where most Family Law disputes are heard.

“I felt this threat was serious and concerning,” Minko said.

The sheriff’s department established an “undercover apprehension team” at the courthouse and alerted law enforcement at the border and on the highways to be on the lookout for Zuniga Sanchez, who they suspected was in Tijuana at the time, Minko said.

Court employees were given the option to stay home on Oct. 13, 2023, but the threatened judge reported for work as usual, Minko said.

In a social media post, Zuniga Sanchez said, “I am the gorilla and I will murder everything responsible for traumatizing my son. (Expletive) you and your abuse of laws, dirty whore,” Minko testified.

In one of the posts, Zuniga Sanchez cited the 1st Amendment, and in another cited the 2nd Amendment regarding gun rights, Minko said.

“He uses these words to remind us he’s serious,” Minko said.

Zuniga Sanchez also boasted that there’s “absolutely nothing the OCSD can do to prevent, prepare nor impede” a mass shooting, Minko said, adding that it showed how the defendant felt “invincible.”

The defendant made no secret of who was making the threats, Minko said.

“There’s no ambiguity at all,” he said.

The defendant, who is representing himself legally in the trial with a stand-by attorney, was accused of sending five emails to the account for the judge. In one of the emails the subject is, “It is time you die,” according to prosecutors.

Minko said his reaction to that email was, “scared, concerned.”

In one of the emails, he allegedly wrote, “You’re already dead. The remainder of my life will be dedicated to assassinating judges, attorneys, and a police station’s entire shift staff,” according to prosecutors.

Zuniga was subjected to multiple domestic violence protective orders, pending arrest warrants and a workplace violence order, according to prosecutors. He also had multiple warrants in Orange County for state criminal offenses, including leading police on a chase, invasion of privacy, violating a court order and criminal threats, according to court records.

Two of the emails were sent May 16, 2023, and the others were sent on June 20, 2023, July 2, 2023, and July 24, 2023, according to prosecutors. But authorities were not aware of them until September 26, 2023.

When Minko asked the threatened judge about Zuniga Sanchez she “recalled him clearly, vividly, without hesitating.”

While questioning Minko, Zuniga Sanchez referred to the social media posts as “to some degree trolling.”

When he asked Minko if he took the posts seriously, the sergeant said, “absolutely.”

Referring to a portion of the post that indicated he wanted to execute the mass shooting earlier, Minko said that showed “he was actually planning” it. “He was not ready yet, but he was planning,” he added.

Testimony is scheduled to continue Wednesday.