Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man has been charged with threatening to "assault, kidnap or murder a United States official" after leaving several threatening voicemail messages with Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers' office.
Officials say a voicemail left Sunday mentioned the June 14 shooting at a baseball practice that left Republican House Majority Whip Steve Scalise critically injured and four others injured in Alexandria, Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Kelley said authorities were forced to take the messages seriously when the man mentioned the baseball game.
The Columbus Dispatch reported (http://bit.ly/2rERIjW) that 68-year-old E. Stanley Hoff was warned about his messages before his arrest.
A federal magistrate ordered Hoff held without bail during a court hearing Wednesday.
Hoff is expected to be assigned a federal public defender on Thursday. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
An aide at Stivers' Washington congressional office referred questions about the threats to U.S. Capitol Police.
___
Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
