https://ift.tt/uRtLh4 federal court in Manhattan sentenced a man to three years in prison this week for sending threatening text messages to the family of a journalist.
Robert Lemke, a 36-year-old from the San Francisco, California area, had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of making threatening interstate communications.
Prosecutors told the court that threatening text and audio messages were sent to approximately 50 people between November 2020 and early January.
Lemke refused to accept the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement.
“[Lemke] sent messages threatening dozens of victims, including journalists, elected officials, and their families, for the perceived offense of stating the facts,” Williams said.
“Rather than attempting to effect change through the lawful forms of expression that all of us Americans still enjoy, Lemke sought to quell freedom of expression, to intimidate and instill fear in others by threats of violence,” the attorney added.
At least one message was sent to a New York-based journalist during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
The message read: “[The journalist’s] words are putting you and your family at risk. We are nearby, armed and ready.”