Montana man gets 2 1/2 years in prison for leaving threatening voicemails for Senator Jon Tester

2024-12-24 08:33:01 source: category:Invest

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man who pleaded guilty to leaving voicemail messages threatening to kill Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and his family was sentenced Wednesday to 2 1/2 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Anthony James Cross, 30, of Billings pleaded guilty in January to making threats to injure and murder a U.S. senator.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Watters accepted a plea agreement that called for dismissing a charge that Cross made threats against President Joe Biden.

Tester’s office did not immediately respond to an emailed request seeking comment. His office has declined to comment for previous stories about the case.

Threats against public officials in the U.S. have been steadily climbing in recent years, including against members of Congress and their spouses, election workers and local elected officials.

Another Montana man, Kevin Patrick Smith of Kalispell, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in August 2023 for threatening to kill Tester in voicemails left at the senator’s office in Kalispell.

More:Invest

Recommend

The NBA Cup is here. We ranked the best group stage games each night

The NBA Cup is back.For the second time, the league’s annual in-season tournament will give teams th

As she nursed her mom through cancer and dementia, a tense relationship began to heal

Photographer Lori Grinker's relationship with her mom was strained for much of their lives. Lori rec

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp warns GOP not to get bogged down in Trump indictment

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who has tried to steer the Republican Party away from Donald Trump, called