Maryland Man Facing Federal Charge for Threatening a Member of Congress

Baltimore, Maryland – A legal grievance has been filed charging Justin Kuchta, age 39, of Annapolis, Maryland, with a federal cost for sending messages over the Web that threatened to injure a United States Member of Congress.  The grievance was filed on September 6, 2022 and unsealed at this time.  Kuchta is anticipated to have an preliminary look in U.S. District Court docket in Baltimore at this time at 2:30 p.m. earlier than Chief U.S. Justice of the Peace Choose Beth P. Gesner.

The legal grievance was introduced by United States Lawyer for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the US Capitol Police; and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

“You might have the best to your personal opinions, however not the best to threaten a federal official’s life,” mentioned United States Lawyer for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron.  “We’ll proceed prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the regulation.” 

In line with the affidavit filed in help of the legal grievance, Kuchta made threats to homicide a U.S. Member of Congress.  The affidavit alleges {that a} U.S. Member of Congress’ district workplace in Texas reported that on July 18, 2022, it obtained a threatening message through an occasion administration web site.  The message acknowledged “Thanks for the handle!!! I’m coming to homicide all of you Satanist f*ckers!!! Particularly the chuckle-f*ck Zodiak [sic] Killer [Member of Congress 1]!! That fats faux f*cker ass would be the first on the gallows!! SEE ALL OF YOU F*CKERS REALLY SOON!!! With my recent militia and weapons!!! Thanks for the information f*ckers!!!”  In line with the affidavit, the Member of Congress’ Washington workplace reported {that a} comparable message was despatched on July 22, 2022, utilizing the identical occasion administration web site.

As detailed within the affidavit, an investigation revealed that the IP handle was registered to a personal high-speed community operated by the State of Maryland.  Community information revealed that the IP handle originated from a Digital Personal Community and laptop assigned to Kuchta.  Kuchta was subsequently interviewed by Particular Brokers with the U.S. Capitol Police at his place of employment in Annapolis, Maryland. 

If convicted, Kuchta faces a most sentence of 5 years in federal jail for interstate communication containing a risk to injure.  Precise sentences for federal crimes are usually lower than the utmost penalties.  A federal district court docket choose will decide any sentence after taking into consideration the U.S. Sentencing Pointers and different statutory components. 

A legal grievance is just not a discovering of guilt.  A person charged by legal grievance is presumed harmless except and till confirmed responsible at some later legal proceedings. 

United States Lawyer Erek L. Barron counseled the US Capitol Police and the Maryland State Police for his or her work within the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Lawyer Thomas M. Sullivan, who’s prosecuting the federal case.

For extra info on the Maryland U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace, and its efforts to guard nationwide safety, please go to www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/anti-terrorism.

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