© 2024 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
WBFO Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Your NPR Station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Man pleads guilty to threatening life of congressman, family

John Katko

Authorities say a 28-year-old Syracuse man has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a U.S. congressman and his family over net neutrality.

The U.S. District Attorney's Office says Patrick Angelo of Syracuse has pleaded guilty in federal court in Buffalo and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced on June 21.

Officials say Angelo called the Washington, D.C. office of Republican Rep. John Katko in October and left a voicemail threatening to kill Katko and his family if he did not support net neutrality. As a result, security surrounding Katko was increased.

“While citizens are certainly entitled to communicate their views on issues of importance to them to their elected officials, there are and must be bounds to the manner in which such views may be expressed," said U.S. Attorney James Kennedy. "As today’s plea makes clear, defendant overstepped those bounds."

Katko represents New York's 24th District in the Syracuse area.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.