A Florida man, Stephen Jay Thorn, age 66, has been handed down a five-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges of threatening a federal judge and the judge's family, a stark escalation of online anger into real-world consequences. This sentencing was ordered by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Thorn, incensed by a judicial ruling he stumbled upon on the internet decided to make his displeasure known through a series of volatile and profane voicemail messages; he left these for the judge on October 24, 2022, the wrath in his voice spilling over five separate calls transmitted across state lines and Thorn entered a guilty plea on May 16. "Threatening harm against public officials, or their families, is an intolerable offense," U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg was quoted saying on U.S. Attorney's Office after the conviction was announced, taking a stand on the gravity of such threats and the commitment to prosecute them vigorously.
The investigation, led by the United States Marshals Service, uncovered the severity of Thorn's threats and led to the prosecution managed by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joe Wheeler III.
