NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — A Nevada man was indicted on Tuesday for charges related to violent threats leveled against multiple governmental officials, including Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the presiding judge in former President Donald Trump’s hush money case, Justice Juan Merchan.
Spencer Christjencody Gear, 32, was hit with 10 charges of threatening a federal official and 12 counts of transmitting a communication containing a threat to injure, the Department of Justice said.
Between Nov. 30, 2023 and July 7, Gear made phone calls and sent an email threatening the assault and murder eight federal officials and three state employees with intent to intimidate the performance of their governmental duties, according to court documents.
Among those threatened were Bragg and Merchan, who were referenced in the indictment as “A.B.” and “J.M.” in the indictment, ABC News reported.
Gear, of Las Vegas, pleaded not guilty to all 22 counts. His jury trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 24.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years for each count of threatening a federal official, and five years for each count of transmitting a threat to injure, prosecutors said.
“The citizens we rely on to serve the public must be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department has no tolerance for acts and threats of violence targeting public servants, and we will stop at nothing to find and bring to justice those responsible.”