A Mississippi man was charged in reference to a cellphone name threatening to kill a United States consultant and his staffers, federal prosecutors
A Mississippi man was charged in reference to a cellphone name threatening to kill a United States consultant and his staffers, federal prosecutors stated on Wednesday.
The person, Newton Wade Townsend, 52, of Brandon, Miss., was charged on Tuesday with threatening a public official. Courtroom data, which solely establish the congressman by the initials B.T., stated that the menace was made on June 1.
Congressman Bennie Thompson, a Democrat, stated that he acquired a menace from Mr. Townsend on his workplace cellphone, and that the Capitol Police investigated the matter.
“I’m blissful the investigation resulted within the arrest of Mr. Townsend,” Mr. Thompson stated in an announcement on Wednesday. “This could function a lesson that anybody who chooses to threaten to homicide members of Congress will probably be prosecuted.”
Mr. Thompson is the one black legislator, and the one Democrat, representing Mississippi in Congress.
The courtroom data didn’t point out a motive for the threats. Mike Hurst, the U.S. legal professional for the Southern District of Mississippi, didn’t instantly return a request for touch upon Wednesday.
Mr. Townsend used his identify on the decision, The Clarion Ledger reported. It additionally famous that the workplace’s telephones used caller ID and often recorded calls.
Mr. Townsend “threatened to kill the congressman and his African-American staffers,” the U.S. legal professional’s workplace stated in an announcement.
“A violent menace in opposition to a public official is a severe federal crime,” Mr. Hurst stated within the assertion. “The USA Lawyer’s Workplace will proceed to guard victims, prosecute these fueled by hate who search to intimidate and terrorize others, and at all times be sure that justice is completed.”
It was not clear if Mr. Townsend had a lawyer. He’s scheduled to look in courtroom on Thursday.
Mr. Thompson is at present serving his 13th time period within the Home of Representatives, and is chairman of the Home Homeland Safety Committee.
Earlier this 12 months, a Connecticut man was charged with utilizing an internet assembly request type to threaten to kill Consultant Adam Schiff. A Texas man was charged in March with threatening to kill Speaker Nancy Pelosi after he wrote on Fb that Ms. Pelosi and different Democrats ought to be shot on sight, prosecutors stated.
And a person who threatened to kill Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Michigan’s legal professional normal through social media messages final month now faces terrorism fees.