A 46-year-old Wyoming man has been arrested and charged after allegedly sending death threats to country singer Tanner Usrey ahead of a scheduled concert.
According to reporting from The Sheridan Press, Baptiste Brafford of Sheridan, Wyoming, was taken into custody on February 4 and charged with misdemeanor telephonic threats. Court documents state the messages were sent on January 12, roughly one month before Usrey’s February 6 performance at the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City, South Dakota.
One of the alleged Facebook messages warned Usrey not to come to Rapid City and referenced the September 10, 2025, assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot by a sniper during a public speaking event in Utah.
“Don’t come to Rapid City, you could end up ‘Charlie Kirk’ spreading that same hate. It be an arrow though,” one message reportedly read.
A second message allegedly referenced a .30 06 rifle and included violent language about shooting, further escalating the threat, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Usrey, a Texas-born singer-songwriter best known for his song “The Light,” which appeared in season four of Yellowstone, is not widely known for political commentary. There has been no publicly established connection between Usrey and Kirk, nor any clear indication of what prompted the alleged messages.
Screenshots of the threats were reportedly provided to Rapid City law enforcement, who then contacted the Sheridan Police Department. Sergeant Jacob Board followed up locally in Wyoming.
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When speaking with officers, Usrey was asked whether he believed the threat was legitimate. According to court documents, he responded that he did not know and added, “People are cr𝐚zy.”
Authorities made contact with Brafford at his residence. According to police, he admitted remembering that he sent the messages about a month earlier. He allegedly told officers he had been drinking at the time and later deleted the conversation.
Brafford was arrested on February 4 and formally charged with telephonic threats for electronically communicating a threat to inflict death. The offense is currently classified as a misdemeanor. Under Wyoming law, the charge can be elevated to a felony if repeated threats or additional aggravating factors are present.
At his February 5 arraignment, Brafford entered a not guilty plea. He was released from the Sheridan County Detention Center after posting a $5,000 cash-only bond.
As part of his release conditions, Brafford is prohibited from possessing or consuming alcohol. He may not enter bars or establishments where alcohol is the primary item sold and is barred from possessing firearms.
A scheduling conference has been set for March 10 in Sheridan County Circuit Court.
Despite the alleged threats, Usrey went forward with his Rapid City performance as planned on February 6. Central States Fair, Inc. confirmed to Taste of Country that the show took place as scheduled.
The case highlights the seriousness with which law enforcement treats online threats directed at performers, particularly when specific references to weapons or past acts of violence are involved.
Brafford is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
