NEW HAVEN – The Venezuelan man, whom federal officials allege made a series of telephone calls to Newtown residents, threatening them in the wake of the December 14, 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook School, is scheduled to make his initial appearance in US District Court in New Haven on Wednesday, July 16, before US Magistrate Judge Joan G. Margolis.

Wilfredo A. Cardenas Hoffman, 30, of El Hatillo, Venezuela, was charged by the FBI on June 21 with transmitting threats to injure via interstate or foreign commerce.

The FBI charged him with making numerous telephone calls to Newtown residents on December 16, 2012, lodging threats against those residents.

Hoffman was arrested on June 21 while he was at Miami International Airport en route to Mexico from Venezuela. Hoffman made an initial court  appearance on June 23 before US Magistrate Judge William Turnoff in the Southern District of Florida.

Hoffman currently is under federal detention.

Newtown residents who believe that they received a threatening telephone call after the 12/14 incident  are encouraged to call Lori Vernali, who is the victim/witness coordinator for the US Attorney’s Office, at 203-821-3818, according to Thomas Carson, spokesman for the US Attorney for Connecticut.