Baton Rouge Man Sentenced To Lengthy Prison Term For Mailing Threatening Letters To Federal And State Courthouses

BATON ROUGE, LA - United States Attorney Walt Green announced today that BRIAN CAVALIER, age 34, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been sentenced to serve ninety-two (92) months in federal prison, as a result of his convictions for making threats by mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(e).  Chief U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson ordered the sentence to run consecutive to criminal sentences that CAVALIER may also face as a result of unrelated criminal conduct charged in the 19^th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish and the 23^rd Judicial District Court in Ascension Parish.  Following his release from prison, CAVALIER will be also required to serve a 3-year term of supervised release.

CAVALIER previously admitted that on November 1, 2013, he mailed a threatening letter to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana in which he falsely and maliciously conveyed that a bomb had been planted in the federal courthouse and that the bomb was set to detonate within twenty-four (24) hours.  CAVALIER had also placed a small amount of a white powdery substance inside the letter’s envelope, and the letter falsely stated that anyone who inhaled the powder would die a “painful death” within 24 hours.  CAVALIER’S letter also falsely stated that there were “shooters” outside the federal courthouse and that anyone who attempted to exit the courthouse would be “shot to death.” 

CAVALIER also admitted that approximately one month later, on or about December 2, 2013, he mailed a second threatening letter, this time to the 19^th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge, which also falsely and maliciously conveyed that a bomb had been planted in the state courthouse and that the bomb would soon detonate.  The defendant also falsely represented that there were armed men with “high power guns” watching the building and that they would kill people inside the building, too.  This second letter also contained a small amount of suspicious white powder, wrapped in plastic.  At the time CAVALIER sent both letters, he was in state custody in the Avoyelles Detention Center, in Cottonport, Louisiana, on unrelated charges.

U.S. Attorney Green stated:  “Today’s sentence should send a strong message that terroristic threats to the judiciary and others working in the criminal justice system will be dealt with severely.  The defendant’s conduct had a direct impact on hard-working men and women in government who, in the fall of 2013, were just trying to do their jobs and serve the public.  The defendant’s conduct also needlessly diverted first responders and other precious resources away from the legitimate needs of our community.  I appreciate the hard work of the FBI, BRPD, EBRSO, and the Baton Rouge Fire Department, in bringing this defendant to justice, and I appreciate the work of all of the first responders who are called out to potentially-dangerous situations each and every day.”

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, working in close coordination with the Louisiana Department of Corrections, the Baton Rouge Fire Department, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Baton Rouge Police Department, the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office, and other law enforcement agencies.  The matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who serves as a Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.