(The Center Square) – An Ohio man who sent a powdery substance in an envelope to Secretary of State Frank LaRose in late 2024 pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to threatening more than 30 public officials.
Robert Lidderdale, of New Albany, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio to 31 counts, including mailing threatening communications, transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, false information and hoaxes and cyberstalking.
“I’m grateful for the work of federal law enforcement and prosecutors to bring justice in this case,” LaRose said in a statement Tuesday. “At a time of growing concern about the safety of public officials, we need to send a clear message that threats and acts of violence will not be tolerated. This person targeted my family, stoked fear in our community and drained the valuable resources of our first responders who had to process his tainted letters and investigate his taunting death threats.”
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to LaRose’s suburban Columbus home after he received and opened a piece of mail that contained a powdery substance and a threatening note.
LaRose had received several threats over several months leading up to the incident, prompting Gov. Mike DeWine to ask the Department of Public Safety and the Ohio State Highway Patrol to provide security assessments and personal protective services for LaRose in the weeks leading up to the November presidential election.
LaRose opened the letter containing a powdery substance that said, “I have no other decision but to kill you to make certain evil does not spread… a cleansing that will be anointed(sp) by your blood spilled upon the floor. … Be warned I am coming for you.”
LaRose received several threatening letters from Lidderdale between July of 2024 and April of 2025. More than 30 other public officials received similar threats.
“We live in a cauldron of toxic social media, shrill partisan rhetoric and often-unfiltered hate speech that consumes our influencer-driven culture,” LaRose said. “It’s inciting people who are unwell to commit acts of violence, and it must stop. I call on all public leaders, regardless of party, to lead by example and clearly denounce the vitriol that too often corrupts our speech. We are better than this.”
