Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Death Threats Against Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs
Joshua Russell, an Ohio resident, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for making multiple death threats against Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. The announcement was made by officials from the Justice Department during a news conference on [date]. Russell had pleaded guilty last summer to one count of making a threatening interstate communication.
According to the Justice Department, Russell left a series of voicemails for Hobbs, in which he referred to her as a “traitor” and warned that her days “are extremely numbered.” This incident comes less than two weeks after another individual was arrested for making a bomb threat against Hobbs in 2021.
Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, has been a prominent figure in Arizona’s political landscape. As the Secretary of State, she plays a crucial role in overseeing elections in the state. The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, led by John Keller, highlighted that they have charged approximately 20 defendants for engaging in threats against the elections community to date. Additionally, there are currently seven federal cases involving out-of-state individuals making threats in Arizona, a state that faced significant scrutiny following the 2020 election.
During the news conference, US Attorney for Arizona, Gary Restaino, emphasized a common pattern in these cases, stating that “election denialists” often announce their intent to violently punish those they believe have wronged them, frequently with threats of arrests leading to executions for treason.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a statement, asserting that there will be consequences for those who threaten violence against public servants who administer elections. Garland emphasized that the right to vote, which is the cornerstone of democracy, relies on the ability of election workers and officials to perform their duties without fearing for their lives. The Justice Department remains committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting individuals who pose threats to these public servants.
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Did you know that according to a study by the National Institute of Justice, approximately 7.5% of all threats made against public officials in the United States are carried out? This highlights the seriousness and potential danger that individuals like Joshua Russell pose when making death threats.