Updated Dec. 10, 2025, 1:03 p.m. ET
- A 30-year-old man was arrested after allegedly threatening a York County magisterial judge and her staff.
- Investigators say the alleged threats followed a landlord-tenant case where the judge ruled against Austin Jason Birley, leading to his eviction.
- He is currently in York County Prison, with bail denied, as he faces felony and misdemeanor charges.
A 30-year-old man is in jail after he allegedly made threats against a York County district judge and her staff.
Austin Jason Birley of Fawn Grove was arrested Tuesday, denied bail and placed in York County Prison after he allegedly made threats against District Judge Laura Manifold and her staff.
A request for comment from Manifold about the threat to her and her staff was not immediately returned.
According to court documents, Manifold’s office in Stewartstown received a phone call around 8:30 a.m. Dec. 4. The staff member who answered the call told Southern Regional Police, who investigated the matter, that the caller allegedly said, “Exactly 5 hours and 9 minutes you will be done. Fully corrupted and done. Do you understand that, 5 hours and 9 minutes you are done.”
The staff member told police that the number from which the call was made matched one they had on file for Birley. On Dec. 3, Birley had gone before Manifold in regard to a landlord-tenant case in which Manifold sided with the landlord and Birley was evicted from his place of residence. Birley was allegedly acting erratic and irate during that hearing.
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Manifold and another staff member told police that they were afraid and felt vulnerable with no security at the office, and they were afraid that Birley could be waiting for them outside. They asked the officer who responded to the office to check around the outside of the building to make sure Birley didn’t place anything nearby that could cause destruction.
Police say Birley allegedly emailed a manifesto in September of this year that said all law enforcement agencies were corrupt and there was corruption within the Pennsylvania court system. The manifesto was distributed to several York County district magistrates, including Manifold. .
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While police were investigating the phone call to Manifold’s office, an email with the subject line “Laura Manifold Corruption Exposure Plan: Active T-minus 4 hours, 34 minutes, and 21 seconds” was sent to Manifold’s office.
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Police say in the email landlord-tenant rights are mentioned along with saying Manifold is corrupt and the sender was going to expose the corruption. There was also an MP4 video file that is to be construed as a flier with Manifold’s picture on it. Police say it stated that “A Southern Regional Month of December 1st place Corruption Award Winner Laura Manifold.”
Southern Regional Police along with Pennsylvania State Police went to Birley’s home in the 300 block of Mill Street in Fawn Grove, but he did not answer the door. Shortly afterward, Birley allegedly posted on a social media account linked to him “@PAStatePolice the tin foil badge gang sent 5 cars on a mission to silence the threat!!!”
After police consulted with the York County District Attorney’s Office, Birley was charged with threats and other improper influence in official political matters, which is a felony. He also faces misdemeanor charges of making terroristic threats and harassment.
A preliminary hearing before Manifold is scheduled for Dec. 23.
