Lewes man faces charges in connection with threatening phone calls

A Lewes man faces terroristic threatening and hate crime charges after police said he made disturbing phone calls to a Laurel insurance company.

Laurel police were contacted March 5 by staff of The Insurance Market who told them a customer was extremely disorderly and used obscene profanity while speaking with an insurance employee on the telephone, police said. During phone calls, police said, the man used racial and religious slurs against the employee and threatened violence.

As the incident progressed, police said, the owner of The Insurance Market contacted the man and informed him that his business would no longer be accepted. The man allegedly continued using profanity and made threats indicating he would locate the owner and commit acts of violence against them as well, police said.

Laurel police identified the man as Brian Rightsell, 51, of Lewes, and arrested him after serving a warrant.

Rightsell was charged with harassment, terroristic threatening, and hate crime. He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on his own recognizance. As part of his conditions of release, police said Rightsell was ordered to have no contact with the victims or any locations of The Insurance Market.