A 35-year-old man from Houston, Texas, was arrested after he allegedly left a voicemail on Gov. Greg Abbott‘s office phone line, threatening to stab people if an age verification block on his favorite anime website was not removed, according to ABC 13 Houston.
Joseph Ozment told the ABC 13 reporter that he was trying to watch a show on Crunchyroll, an anime streaming site, when he ran into an age verification block. He said he tried to confirm his age, but the restriction stayed in place.
Court documents allege that Ozment then called the governor’s Constituent Communications line and left a voicemail filled with threats and profanity.
Voicemail led to felony charge over public servant’s safety
According to a Travis County arrest warrant, Ozment left the voicemail on July 25. In it, he allegedly said he would stab everyone if the age restriction was not taken off.
Part of the voicemail reportedly read: “I don’t know which one of you sons of (expletive) passed this (expletive) bill to get this damn (expletive) blocking my (expletive) anime, but you whole (expletive) (expletive) need to unpass this (expletive). Y’all are (expletive) ridiculous with your (expletive) (expletive). My Google account says I’m (expletive) over the age of 18, and your (expletive) is passing these (expletive) laws. I’m a (expletive) stab every (expletive) one of you (expletive). Unlock my (expletive) anime.”
An employee in the governor’s office reported the voicemail to law enforcement, saying they were alarmed and feared for their safety, the arrest warrant said.
Ozment told ABC13 he does not fully remember what he said. “I had a mental breakdown at the end of the day. I allegedly left a voicemail; I don’t remember what I said or anything,” he said.
He also said he is not sure the voicemail matches the exact words listed in the warrant. “To be honest, I don’t even feel like those are the exact words I said; I would have to listen to the recording over again,” Ozment said.
Ozment said someone from the governor’s office tried to call him about the voicemail. When he did not call back, he said he was arrested at his home in Houston. “I kept asking over and over, what is this about, what is going on, why are we even doing any of this,” he said.
He was reportedly booked into the Travis County Jail and charged with impeding a public servant, causing public fear of severe bodily injury, and influence of government, which is a third-degree felony. He has since reportedly bonded out and returned to Houston. ABC13 said it reached out to the governor’s office for comment but had not heard back.
Ozment did not defend what he said in the voicemail, but he argued the state’s response went too far. “It’s an overstep; it’s everything. You wasted thousand if tax payer dollars for someone who doesn’t even have a working car, for someone who doesn’t even have 200 dollars in his bank account,” he said.
He also said the age restriction affects more than just minors. “It’s affecting everyone even over the age of 18,” Ozment said, adding that he does not consider Crunchyroll to be an adult website. The platform has also seen other recent changes, including its upcoming exit from HBO Max streaming.
The age check is tied to Texas Senate Bill 20, passed in 2025. The law was meant to reduce access to animated and AI-generated child pornography. It follows other recent state action, including a bill targeting anime and manga ownership, and critics have said the broad wording of such laws could also affect anime sites like Crunchyroll.
Published: Aug 9, 2026 01:59 pm