Washington
Act Daily News
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The Justice Department has introduced federal costs towards a Washington state man who allegedly made a number of threats towards members of Congress, utilizing antisemitic slurs and saying he would “murder” lawmakers.
In asserting the fees, the division stated Mark Leonetti, 48, left “more than 400 voicemails for members of Congress, several of which used slurs and were threatening” over the previous two years regardless of warnings from regulation enforcement.
Leonetti faces seven costs for interstate threats he allegedly made towards a number of senators and representatives over the previous a number of months. Officials stated Leonetti was arrested Wednesday. No lawyer is listed for him in courtroom filings.
The threats come after a number of members of Congress and their households have been attacked, harassed or threatened up to now a number of months, together with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, who was violently assaulted in his dwelling by a person who police say was searching for the speaker. On Wednesday, the Justice Department introduced costs towards an Ohio man who allegedly threatened to kill an Arizona state election official through the 2022 midterm election season.
According to the prison grievance, a county behavioral well being crew in Oregon, the place Leonetti beforehand resided, instructed regulation enforcement that Leonetti is a paranoid schizophrenic. Long and rambling voicemail transcripts, full of violent and racist imagery, are included within the grievance filed this week.
According to a courtroom submitting requesting Leonetti stay behind bars pending a trial, prosecutors say US Capitol Police assigned extra safety to some members of Congress in response to Leonetti’s alleged threats.
“Mr. Leonetti’s voicemails are treated with this caution because it is inherently difficult to evaluate when an individual making such threats will choose to act on them,” prosecutors wrote, pointing to the assault on Paul Pelosi. “The threats, standing alone, have thus instilled fear in their recipients and have disrupted governmental functions.”
Interstate threats are punishable by as much as 5 years behind bars.