(The Center Square) — A 34-year-old Atlanta man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of “transmitting interstate threats” after he threatened to kill a congresswoman from northwest Georgia, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors said Sean Patrick Cirillo called the Washington office of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, three times on Nov. 8, 2023. Cirillo spoke with the congresswoman’s staffers and made “multiple threats,” prosecutors said.
According to a U.S. Department of Justice news release, Cirillo pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting interstate threats. A sentencing date for Cirillo, who was charged via a criminal complaint the day after he called Greene’s office, has not been scheduled.
“Threatening to kill a public official is reprehensible,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a Tuesday statement. “Our office will not tolerate any form of violence, threats or intimidation against public officials. The prosecution of individuals who threaten the lives and welfare of public servants is a top priority for our office, as well as for our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.”
Greene, often called “MTG,” is arguably the highest-profile — and even most divisive — member of Congress from Georgia. She was first elected in 2020 and represents Georgia’s 14th district.
“We will not normalize violent threats in America, whether targeting elected officials or average citizens,” Keri Farley, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta, said in an announcement. “Our democracy depends on the ability of members of Congress to do their jobs without fearing for their safety. We will continue to prosecute threats against public servants made in any form.”
A Greene representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the plea.
Separately, a federal grand jury indicted a 34-year-old Roswell man earlier this month on federal charges he threatened FBI Director Christopher Wray and others.
