(The Center Square) – A Las Vegas man received almost four years in prison this week after making threats to U.S. senators.
John Anthony Miller, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of threatening a federal official and two counts of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official by threatening a family member.
Sue J. Bai, head of the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, said threats against these senators and their families “were vile, dehumanizing and shameful.”
Miller’s sentencing reflects the Department of Justice’s resolve to hold those accountable who want to “intimidate and harm” America’s public officials, Bai said. “Such threats of violence have no place in our country.”
Court documents say that between Oct. 11 and Oct. 25, 2023, Miller left threatening voicemails at the offices of two U.S. senators.
These documents say he threatened to assault and murder a senator with the intent of impeding the person while performing official duties. In addition, court documents state the threat was made to retaliate against the U.S. senator on “account of the performance of official duties.”
Specifically, on Oct. 24 and Oct.25, court documents show that Miller threatened to assault and murder the immediate family members of two U.S. senators.
The court documents don’t name the senators who received threats from Miller. However, The Associated Press reported that one of the people was Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada.
The AP also said Rosen’s family received threatening voicemails.
The Center Square couldn’t reach Rosen’s spokesperson Thursday for further comment.
Court documents show that on Oct. 17, an unnamed senator, later confirmed to be Rosen, who is Jewish, received a message from Miller that was antisemitic and full of profanity and threatened her life.
Miller will pay for “making threats of violence,” said Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.
Threatening public officials is “unacceptable,” Holstead said.
“The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable anyone who engages in such illegal activity,” he said.
