ATLANTA — A California man was indicted in federal court last week after he allegedly made threats toward Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis back in October.
The 66-year-old of Chula Vista, California, faces two counts of transmitting interstate threats. In an indictment, the United States Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Georgia said the comments were made threatening violence to Willis due to her prosecuting former President Donald Trump.
The first incident stems from Oct. 4, 2023, when the man is accused of posting a comment that said, "FANI WILL BE KILLED LIKE A DOG." on a YouTube livestream video.
The second incident took place on Oct. 7, 2023, when the man posted several comments on a YouTube livestream video that were threatening toward Willis, the indictment alleges.
One of the comments allegedly said, "FANI WILLIS WILL BE DEAD IN 2024." Two other comments were made that same day in an alleged threatening manner, including one that called Willis a "dead (N-word)."
“Sending death threats to a public official is a criminal offense that will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said. “Our office will continue to diligently coordinate with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to help protect public officials while performing their duties and who deserve to do so free from threats of harm and intimidation.”
The man made his initial appearance in federal court in San Diego, California, on Thursday and will be formally arraigned in Atlanta in June.
Back in October, an Alabama man was indicted after he allegedly threatened to injure both Willis and Sheriff Patrick "Pat" Labat. In that case, the man allegedly called the Fulton County Government customer service line and left a voicemail for Willis in which he allegedly said in part, "Watch it when you're going to the car at night, when you're going into your house, watch everywhere that you're going," the indictment claimed.
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