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Arthur Ray Hanson, 59, has been charged with transmitting interstate threats to injure both District Attorney Fani Willis and Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat.
On Monday, an Atlanta federal grand jury indicted Hanson over his threatening voice messages.
He targeted them over her prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
Hanson was charged where Trump was fingerprinted and photographed after he was indicted in August on charges of trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Hanson made an initial appearance in Huntsville federal court in Alabama. He is expected to return to Atlanta for an arraignment next month, according to ABC News,
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Hanson called the Fulton County customer service line twice in August. He left two voicemail messages communicating violence towards Willis and Labat.
“Watch it when you’re going to the car at night, when you’re going into your house.”
“Watch everywhere that you’re going,” court records quoted Hanson as saying in the message left for Willis.
Fani Willis was told to look “over your shoulder”
“I would be very afraid if I were you because you can’t be around people all the time that are going to protect you.”
“There’s going to be moments when you’re going to be vulnerable,” the message said, according to court records.
He continued, “When you charge Trump on that fourth indictment, anytime you’re alone, be looking over your shoulder.”
Officials send message that political threats will not be tolerated altogether
“Sending interstate threats to physically harm prosecutors and law enforcement officers is a vile act intended to interfere with the administration of justice and intimidate individuals who accept a solemn duty to protect and safeguard the rights of citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan.
“Threats against public servants are not only illegal, but also a threat against our democratic process,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution. We take this responsibility very seriously and seek to punish those who engage in this type of criminal behavior, and to send the message that such conduct will not be tolerated.”
According to The Department of Justice, members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges. Further, it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Presently, this case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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