PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Eugene Huelsman, 59, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., was sentenced to six months of house arrest for communicating a threat in interstate commerce, according to Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Freedom of speech is central to our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “However, communicating threats of physical violence, in this case by someone who has made similar threats in the past and is under investigation, is clearly illegal. Together with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to protecting the public safety of all citizens. Today’s sentence recognizes the defendant’s repeated threats of violence and should be a significant deterrent to those who would rather threaten violence against others than engage in legitimate debate.
At the hearing, Huelsman was convicted of making a telephone threat on January 9, 2021, when he called U.S. Congressman Matthew Gaetz’s congressional district office in Pensacola, Florida. When no one answered the call, Huelsman left a profanity-filled voicemail threatening to kill Congressman Gaetz. It included threats to “put a bullet in” Congressman Gaetz and members of his family. Huelsman also threatened that he would “come for” the congressman and that he hoped the congressman would “die in a shallow grave.”
When the threat was reported, the United States Capitol Police was contacted and initiated security protocols regarding the victim. The investigation revealed that this was not the first time that Huelsman had threatened political figures. Huelsman was previously investigated by the US Secret Service for threatening a member of the former president’s family on social media.
“Words matter,” said Sherri E. Onks, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Jacksonville division, “and this sentence should serve as a warning. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but if you harass, intimidate and threaten others with violence, that’s a federal crime, which will not be tolerated. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are working to bring you to justice.”
Huelsman’s home confinement will be followed by five years of probation and a $10,000 fine.
The incident was investigated by the United States Capitol Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that are the state’s chief litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court records online, visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
