LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A southeastern Nebraska judge has ruled that a Kansas man’s angry texts to his ex-girlfriend were enough to convict him of disturbing the peace.

20-year-old Kyle Hudlin, of McPherson, Kansas, had appealed after being found guilty last year of the misdemeanor count. He had argued that his texts were protected under his constitutional right to free speech.

But this week, Lancaster County District Judge Stephanie Stacy upheld the conviction and $250 fine. The judge said that while the texts they didn’t contain direct threats of violence, they did contain “angry, profane, insulting and abusive language.” That’s enough to convict someone of disturbing the peace under Nebraska law.