Man accused of emailing ESPN about killing children is charged

Prosecutors on Wednesday charged a Valencia man, who is accused of sending emails that made references to killing children and to "The Dark Knight" movie theater shooting in Colorado, with possession of an illegal weapon.

Eric Ting Yee, 21, who appeared briefly in San Fernando Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon, had his arraignment postponed until next month. Meanwhile, Court Commissioner Martin R. Gladstein reduced Yee's bail to $100,000 even though the Los Angeles County district attorney's office had argued the nature of the threats warranted a $2-million bail.

Eric Ting Yee's father, Roger Manfoo Yee, 62, faces the same charge of illegal possession of an H&K M-94 assault weapon. He has not been arrested and did not appear in court.

Eric Ting Yee is accused of sending emails with threats against children to an ESPN website. Yee was connected to a residence in the 23000 block of Edenton Place, which overlooks Santa Clarita Elementary and Arroyo Seco Junior High, authorities said.

The case was the result of an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Santa Clarita Valley station, which was notified about Yee's alleged comments by authorities in Bristol, Conn., where ESPN's headquarters are located.

Prosecutors did not detail the comments, but Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, described them as "reprehensible and threatening."

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Arroyo Seco Junior High School in Valencia. Credit:  Jonathan Pobre / Santa Clarita Valley Signal via Associated Press