An Alaska man who threatened to kill senators has been sentenced to 32 months in prison.
Jay Allen Johnson, 65, pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening to kill a US official in January and was sentenced on Friday.
Johnson had threatened to kill Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan.
It appears that Johnson was mad that the senators were not acting in favor of former President Donald Trump.
Many voicemails to Murkowski’s office referenced her vote against Trump in the impeachment trial.
“Nobody in this state wanted you to impeach Trump,” he said in another one of the calls. “Just resign and get the f— gone.”
The Hill reports, “in voicemails left at Murkowski’s Washington, D.C. office, Johnson threatened to ‘burn’ the senator’s properties, questioned if she knew what a .50 caliber shell ‘does to a human head,’ and threatened to hire an assassin to kill her, according to the US attorney’s office.”
“In messages left on Sullivan’s voicemail, Johnson threatened to get his ‘.50 caliber out,’ create a ‘GoFundMe page for the … shells,’ and come ‘with a vengeance, motherf—–.'”
After tracking the calls to Johnson, he was arrested while traveling to the Fairbanks International Airport.
A search of his home by the FBI recovered seven firearms that he is not allowed to own due to a previous felony conviction.
US Attorney John Kuhn Jr. of the District of Alaska issued a statement about the case saying, “nothing excuses this conduct, threatening our elected officials, an act that attacks our very system of governance. The erosion of civility in our political discourse will never justify threats or acts of violence. Johnson’s actions must be punished, and the Department of Justice will always work to ensure our elected officials can serve without fear of harm.”
FBI officials echoed Kuhn’s sentiment.
“Those performing their official duties should be able to do so without fear for their safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office in the release. “This case underscores the swift efforts by the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners as we worked together to address these threats before any potential acts of violence occurred.”
In addition to his 32 month sentence, Johnson is forbidden from contacting Johnson, Murkowski, or their families and staff. He has also been ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and relinquish his guns.
