The FBI is investigating cyber threats in Steubenville that include a death threat received by the local sheriff and an email that apparently shut down the police chief's computer.

The threats are part of a series of online messages that have targeted individuals and authorities in Steubenville  amid increased attention over two high school football players who are facing rape charges.

Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla told NEWS9 he does not believe the threat originated from what he called legitimate operators within the hacker-activist collective known as Anonymous.

Abdalla said Wednesday he'd provided the FBI a copy of an anonymous Facebook post in which he was threatened with murder and his family threatened with harm.

Steubenville police Chief William McCafferty said he gave the FBI an email that he had opened Wednesday morning, which then disabled his computer.

FBI spokesman Todd Lindgren said he could not immediately comment.

Also on Wednesday, the Steubenville Board of Education approved the Superintendent's recommendation to employ temporary personnel in an emergency situation.