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A federal judge sentenced a Las Vegas man to nearly four years in prison for making death threats against US lawmakers.
Getting into it: This week, US District Court Judge Jennifer Dorsey sentenced John Anthony Miller, a 44-year-old Las Vegas resident, to 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for issuing violent threats against US lawmakers. Miller pleaded guilty to one count of threatening a federal official and two counts of influencing or retaliating against federal officials by threatening their family members. His targets included Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada, who is Jewish, and the families of two other unidentified senators.
According to court documents, Miller made a series of profane and antisemitic voicemail messages between October 11 and October 25, 2023, during which he referred to Senator Rosen as a “fucking Jew” and said, “We’re gonna finish what Hitler started” and “We’re gonna exterminate you.”
The threats were tied to Rosen’s public support for Israel in the wake of the ongoing war with Hamas. In one message, Miller accused Rosen of allowing her family members to kill Palestinians in the West Bank. The voicemails escalated in intensity and frequency, ultimately leading to Miller appearing at a courthouse in Las Vegas, where Rosen has a district office. He demanded to see the senator and shouted about killing Israelis after being turned away by security for refusing to show identification.
In two additional messages left on October 24 and 25, Miller threatened to assault and murder immediate family members of two other unidentified senators.
Despite the evidence against him, Miller’s defense attorney, Jess Marchese, argued that Miller was high on methamphetamine during the time of the offenses and suffered from mental health issues, including an adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression. He noted that Miller had no previous criminal record and expressed hope that the defendant would use his prison time to address his addiction and reintegrate into society.
Reactions: In a statement, FBI Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans said, “Violent threats against any individual are unacceptable, but when they are directed at elected officials and their family members, threats have the potential to impact democracy itself.”
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, said, “The threats against these US Senators and their families were vile, dehumanizing, and shameful. Such threats of violence have no place in our country.”
