An 56-year old man was arrested after allegedly sending threats to Anthony Fauci, the country's leading infectious disease scientist, along with his family. The messages claimed that they would be taken into the streets, beat to death, and set ablaze.According to a federal criminal case filed Monday, Thomas Patrick Connally Jr., Greenbelt, Maryland was charged with threats to a federal official, and interstate communication containing an threat to harm.The complaint stated that the US Attorney Jonathan Lenzner, acting US Attorney, said that we will not tolerate violence against public officials. We are grateful for the tireless work of our public health professionals and will pursue those who use fear to silence them.Connally sent Fauci threatening emails between December 2020 and July 2021, telling him to "blow you own fucking heads out". He also called the doctor a "liar and a fraud." Investigators believe that threats were made to Fauci and his family via an email account through a provider of encrypted service based in Switzerland.Fauci's December 2020 emails stated that Fauci had received two emails titled "Hope You Get a Bullet in Your Compromised SSatanic Elf Skull Today." According to an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint, Fauci received seven emails from the encrypted account on April 24. Fauci was also encouraged to commit suicide by the emails, as well as death threats to himself and his family.Connally could spend up to 10 years in federal jail for threats against federal officials and a maximum five year sentence for interstate communication containing a danger to harm.
