A 22 year old Kerr County man was sentenced today to five years in federal prison for writing letters threatening to kill President Barack Obama, News Radio 1200 WOAI's Michael Board reports from federal court.
Gavin Friedman sent one letter vowing to kill the then-President because he was 'a puppet for ZOG (Zionist Organized Government).
Another letter claimed that Obama would die because "I will be martyred in the name of Allah.' Other letters simply said Obama would be killed because he 'is stupid.'
Friedman also sent letters threatening to blow up FBI field offices, and once claimed to have hired a hit man to kill the family of a U.S. Attorney.
In his sentencing statement, U.S. District Judge David Ezra said he was pleased that Friedman never carried through with his threats.
"None the less, the conduct is serious," Judge Ezra said. "Threatening a public official in the conduct of their duties, particularly threatening a federal official such as the president of the U.S., regardless of one's views of the individual, is a very serious matter. In the past, some judges viewed this kind of conduct as less serious because their feeling was it was only a threat. The fact of the matter is the world has changed dramatically. Dramatically. Guns are readily available. People use those guns, unfortunately. Public officials have become targets. The way we reconcile our differences in this country is at the ballot box, and through our elected representatives and in legitimate exercise of one's First Amendment right to criticize. Criticism is one thing. Threats of violence are entirely another thing. This court must send the right message, both to this defendant and others that might engage in this conduct, that we in the federal judiciary take these threats seriously and, when a defendant has pled guilty, the punishment should reflect the seriousness."
Friedman said little today in court, apologing to his family, who was in the courtroom.