A Roswell man has been sentenced to prison for threatening former FBI Director Christopher Wray, in a case that highlights the danger public servants face in today's climate. John Woodbury, 35, will now serve seventeen months followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to the offense.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia detailed that Woodbury had posted a violent threat against Wray on the website 4chan.org on June 7, 2023, which included Wray's supposed home address and an incitement to violence. Despite his plea, the law has spoken clearly: threats against law enforcement, and especially those at the helm, such as then-Director Wray, aren't just idle words, they are actions that shake the pillars of our criminal justice system. This was evidenced by the comment from U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, who said, "My office has zero tolerance for threats against law enforcement officers," and that such an act "weakens the foundation of our society and will be punished accordingly."
In a demonstration of the judiciary's stance on threats to public officials, United States District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty imposed the sentence on Woodbury yesterday. The fast and firm response by the FBI and the courts sends a clear message that threats to those in public service are taken seriously and are met with substantial consequences.
Paul Brown, FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge, conveyed the implications of Woodbury's actions and subsequent conviction. "The functioning of our democracy requires that our country’s public servants be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives," he remarked. The full statement by Brown obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice elucidated the viewpoint that safeguarding officials is fundamental to the FBI's mission and to the preservation of democratic principles.
Woodbury's conviction stems from a guilty plea he entered on April 18, for transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. This sentence and the court's action affirm the FBI's commitment to uphold the security and freedom of public servants against a growing tide of vitriol and violence that seeks to disrupt and intimidate the stewards of the law and the people's work. For further information on this case, members of the public are encouraged to reach out to the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office.
