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Press Release

Ruston Man Sentenced to Prison for Making Threats to Member of United States Congress

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Louisiana

MONROE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Chase Levi Thibodeaux, 39, of Ruston, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty to 36 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for transmitting threats in interstate commerce.

These charges stem from an incident which occurred on or about October 12, 2021 when Thibodeaux placed a telephone call to the office of a United States Congress Member located in the State of New York. In the voicemail, Thibodeaux stated that he would buy an Uzi and gun the Member of Congress down in the streets. He also stated that he would buy a Walther PPK with a silencer and that the Congress Member would “never know what hit [them].”

The United States Capitol Police began an investigation into the threats and learned that Thibodeaux had in fact placed the phone call and left the threatening voicemail.  In addition, agents learned through their investigation that Thibodeaux had made over 100 calls to the Congressional Office in the previous two months, and left voicemails directly for the Member of Congress.

The case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg.

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Updated December 19, 2022