A 73-year-old man from Palm Beach County has been sentenced to federal prison after issuing threats against a Democratic congressman, who is believed to be Eric Swalwell of California. Michael Shapiro will serve two years for his menacing actions, which came to light back in January. According to a report by BocaNewsNow.com, Shapiro left a series of voicemails threatening to kill the congressman and his children.

The sentencing occurred in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz meting out the two-year term. Court records show that Shapiro left five voicemails at a U.S. Congressional Office from his residence, on Dec. 19, 2023. Out of these, three contained explicit death threats. "I'm gonna come after you and kill you [expletive]," said Shapiro in one message, and, "I'm gonna come and kill your children you mother-[expletive]. I'm gonna kill your children," in another. Despite the gravity of the case, an arrest wasn't made until January 3.

Shapiro's guilty plea on May 17 to the indictment charging him with transmitting threatening communications led to his recent sentencing. The case was under the microscope of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe, and J. Thomas Manger, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP). Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto was the prosecutor for this particular trial. This information was corroborated by another publication, which highlighted the severity of Shapiro's threats and his subsequent imprisonment.

#Florida man threatened to kill Democratic congressman. Now, he’s in prison for two yearshttps://t.co/8xHpgag193 via @jayhweaver

— Craig Pittman (@craigtimes) August 8, 2024

Threats against political figures have been on the rise, and the authorities continue to take such incidents seriously. As reported by BocaNewsNow.com, Shapiro's actions not only jeopardized the safety and peace of mind of a public servant but also, targeted his family — a move that undoubtedly ripples through the halls of Congress, reminding all of our shared vulnerability to the scourge of political violence.