Oct 28, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Pennsylvania man pleads guilty after Rep. Swalwell death threats

Sareen Habeshian

Rep. Eric Swalwell departs from the U.S. Capitol Building on Sept. 30. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

A Pennsylvania man pled guilty Friday to making threats to kill a member of Congress, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said.

Driving the news: Joshua Hall, 22, was accused of making a series of calls from New York to the California office of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and making threats to kill the congressman to at least three different staffers.

Details: Hall pled guilty to one count of making interstate communications with a threat to injure, per the DOJ. The offense carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

During the calls, Hall claimed he had AR-15 rifles and said that he wanted to shoot the congressman; that he intended to come to Swalwell's office with firearms; and that if he saw the congressman, he would kill him, per the Department of Justice.

Of note: At the time of the threats, Hall was on pretrial release for a separate charge. He allegedly impersonated family members of then-President Donald Trump on social media to fraudulently raise funds for a fictitious political organization.

Hall pled guilty to one count of wire fraud stemming from the scheme, which could carry a 20-year prison sentence.

What they're saying: "Joshua Hall made terrifying threats to the staff of a United States Congressman whom he disliked rather than attempting to effect change through any of the freedoms of expression that all Americans enjoy," said Damian Williams, a U.S. Attorney, in the DOJ statement.

"These threats of violence endanger our public officials and thwart common decency, which is why this Office will continue to prosecute crimes like those committed by Joshua Hall."

What's next: Hall is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8.

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Pennsylvania man pleads guilty after Rep. Swalwell death threats

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