Christopher McCarty, a 33-year-old resident of Manhattan, New York, has been sentenced to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence comes after McCarty mailed a letter threatening to kill two judges from New York State.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In his guilty plea, McCarty admitted that during May and June 2023, he was incarcerated at Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. On or about May 31, 2023, he sent a letter to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. In this letter, McCarty expressed his intent to kill two judges involved in his case once released from prison.
U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III commented on the severity of the threat: “When someone threatens a judge, they threaten our system of justice. Those who threaten judges for doing their jobs are going to be prosecuted and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI Special Agent Craig L. Tremaroli added: “The FBI will not tolerate threats of violence to any member of our community, but especially those who work hard to safeguard our democratic process. No judge should have to fear their rulings might provoke such a violent response. Mr. McCarty’s actions were dangerous and unacceptable, and today’s sentence ensures he will remain behind bars.”
The investigation was conducted by FBI Albany's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss handled the prosecution.
