ALBANY, NEW YORK - Fred Hood, age 56, appeared today in court on a charge that he threatened to kill employees and residents of a Massachusetts veterans services program.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Chief Thomas Gibbons of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police in Albany.
According to the complaint, Hood sent multiple electronic messages from a VA facility in Albany to employees and residents of Soldier On, a nonprofit veterans services organization, threatening to commit a shooting attack at a Soldier On residence on the campus of the Northampton VA Medical Center in Leeds, Massachusetts.
The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge in the complaint filed against Hood carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Hood appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, who ordered Hood detained pending further proceedings.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
