A California man, David Allen Carrier, convicted of leaving threatening voicemails for former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
Carrier, 44, pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2023, to two counts of making threats against a federal official.
#ICYMI Press Release: East Bay Man Sentenced To Eleven Months In Prison For Making Threats To Public Officialshttps://t.co/bMzV2LHJ4X pic.twitter.com/Vn7d8UDpHw
— FBI SanFrancisco (@FBISanFrancisco) March 29, 2024
His indictment by a grand jury on Sept. 12, 2023, stemmed from incidents occurring shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In one voicemail, Carrier threatened to assault Pelosi in her office, while in another on June 30, 2022, he targeted Mayorkas through the Homeland Security hotline.
Acknowledging his intent to disrupt Pelosi's and Mayorkas's official duties, Carrier admitted guilt, prompting U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey to stress the importance of free political discourse while condemning threats against public servants as not protected by the First Amendment.
Apart from the prison sentence, Carrier was ordered to serve three years of supervised release, including mental health and substance abuse treatment, and to maintain no contact with Pelosi or Mayorkas.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp emphasized that threats to elected officials undermine the democratic system, reaffirming the FBI's commitment to investigating and holding accountable those responsible for politically motivated violence.
The sentencing follows a trend of heightened political violence, with Pelosi and Mayorkas frequent targets of political criticism.
In a notable incident from October 2022, Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, was hospitalized after an intruder attacked him with a hammer while looking for the former Speaker.
Mayorkas himself faced unprecedented challenges, becoming the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached since the 1870s in a vote condemned by the Department of Homeland Security as lacking evidence or constitutional grounds.
The case underscores broader concerns about political polarization and the security of public officials. While freedom of expression is a fundamental right, it must not be weaponized to threaten or intimidate elected representatives.
The Justice Department's swift action against Carrier sends a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated, safeguarding the integrity of democratic institutions.
The Justice Department's prosecution of Carrier reveals a harsh punishment that seeks to serve as a deterrent to others who might contemplate similar actions as the nation faces additional controversy in the heated presidential election year featuring a rematch between President Biden and former President Donald Trump.
