A man in Arizona has been found guilty of threatening to kill Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi over the phone.
A jury convicted Steven Arthur Martis on Thursday for “one count of communicating an interstate threat to kill or harm Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi,” said the Arizona Department of Justice.
“This case is an important reminder that, although the First Amendment protects our right to free speech, which is one of our most precious individual rights, the United States Attorney’s Office takes threats to kill or harm another individual through a phone call or other form of interstate communication very seriously,” said acting U.S. Attorney Glenn B. McCormick in a press statement.
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Martis had left Pelosi two threatening voicemails at her Washington District Office, claiming “I’m coming to kill you” and “You’re dead.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation says Martis made these calls after the FBI approached him and warned him about making similar calls in the past to other members of Congress.
The jury was deadlocked on two other counts. A mistrial was declared, with a new trial date set for those charges in January, reports NBC News.
The maximum sentence for the current count is five years in prison. Martis’s sentencing is scheduled to be held on Jan. 25.
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Death threats have become a regular concern for members of Congress. A man was charged with sending death threats to New York Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino on Nov. 12.
