A man from California received an 11-month prison sentence for making threatening calls to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, according to an announcement made by the Justice Department on Wednesday.
David Carrier, a 44-year-old resident of Concord, admitted to two charges of making threats against public officials in December 2023.
According to a sentencing memorandum filed last week, federal prosecutors had initially requested a sentence of four years of probation for Carrier. They highlighted that Carrier promptly accepted his guilt and acknowledged his “lapse of judgment” in making the threats.
During the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Judge William Alsup disagreed with Carrier’s arguments. As a result, he not only sentenced Carrier to 11 months in prison but also imposed three years of probation. Additionally, the judge ordered Carrier to seek mental and substance abuse treatment upon his release. This decision highlights the gravity of the situation and the importance of addressing the underlying issues that led to Carrier’s actions.
According to federal prosecutors, Carrier contacted Pelosi’s San Francisco office on January 21, 2021, leaving a voicemail the day after President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
According to prosecutors, a message that was initially heard by an intern as a threat was forwarded by her to her bosses. The bosses then forwarded the voicemail to law enforcement for investigation.
According to prosecutors, over a year later, he proceeded to make threatening calls to Mayorkas. As stated in the sentencing memorandum, on June 30, 2022, he delivered a message to an operator from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. The message went as follows: “If [Mayorkas] fails to close the border, someone will be shot. And those someone will be illegal immigrants.”
According to prosecutors, the law enforcement authorities were alerted and prompted to investigate the voicemail message, as it was interpreted as a potential threat.
“Engaging in the public political conversation is a crucial right that every citizen should exercise. However, it is important to note that threatening our public servants is not protected under the First Amendment and undermines our capacity to engage in peaceful and meaningful public discourse,” emphasized U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey, whose office handled the prosecution. He further stated, “Our Office will not accept any behavior that crosses the boundary into criminal threats.”
