ATLANTA — A DeKalb County man is facing charges after federal authorities say he threatened U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan and the FBI accused Sean Patrick Cirillo, 34, of threatening to harm Greene and her staff Wednesday.
The FBI Atlanta office said Cirillo made his first federal court appearance Monday on a transmitting interstate threats charge.
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“Cirillo’s alleged threats to harm the congresswoman and her staff are intended to sow fear in our public servants,” Buchanan said in a news release. “Any individual who threatens or seeks to intimidate government officials should expect to be swiftly charged and vigorously prosecuted.”
Cirillo was accused of calling Greene’s Washington, D.C. office twice with violent threats against Greene, her staff and their families. The FBI said in one of the calls, Cirillo said he had a sniper rifle and was “gonna kill her next week.”
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Cirillo was then accused of telling the person on the receiving end of the call that he would kill that person, too, if they wanted.
Authorities charged Cirillo the next day by criminal complaint, the FBI said.
“Unlawful threats against our elected officials are an assault against our democracy,” Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said in the release. “No one should fear violence because of who they are or what they believe. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek justice in these cases.”
The FBI investigation remains open. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray are prosecuting the case.
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