Man who phoned in death threats to Gaetz sentenced to home detention

• "This included threatening to 'put a bullet in' Congressman Gaetz and members of his family," the Department of Justice said of the Jan. 9, 2021, message.
• "Huelsman also threatened that he was 'coming for' the Congressman, and that he hoped the Congressman would 'die in a shallow grave,'" the DOJ added.

What they're saying: Huelsman's defense attorney Curtis Fallgatter told Politico his client left the message after he heard Gaetz praise the Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

• "He saw all the supporting comments from Gaetz saying those are good people. ... That’s what motivated the case," Fallgatter said.

For the record: Jason Coody, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, said in a statement on Thursday that the sentence should "serve as a significant deterrent to those who would threaten violence against others" instead of engaging in lawful debate.

• "The free exercise of speech is central to our democracy," Coody said. "However, the communication of threats of physical violence ... is clearly unlawful."

What's next: "Huelsman's home confinement will be followed by five years' probation, and a $10,000 fine," per the DOJ statement.

Go deeper: Capitol Police data indicates threats to lawmakers have surged since 2017