Philadelphia man charged with threatening political party worker from Western Pennsylvania, Justice Department says
A Philadelphia man has been charged with threatening to kill a representative of a political party who was recruiting poll watchers, the United States Department of Justice said Monday.
John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, allegedly sent threatening text messages to the victim, according to the indictment, which was unsealed Monday. He is charged with one count of sending interstate threats, according to the Justice Department's news release.
Pollard allegedly sent three threatening messages on Sept. 6, the release says, including one that says "I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ME!" One of the others says, "Your days are numbered [expletive]." Another threatens to "skin you alive."
The victim was a resident of Western Pennsylvania, according to the indictment.
The victim posted on social media — as part of their job as an employee of a state political party — that they were recruiting volunteers to help observe at polling places on Election Day. The post included the victim's full name and phone number, according to the release.
The charge comes with a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case.
The case against Pollard is part of the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force, launched in June 2021 to lead the department's efforts to address threats of violence against election workers.
Republican Al Schmidt, Pennsylvania secretary of the commonwealth, the state's top election official, has expressed concern about turnover among elections workers in the state, in part because of threats.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office is online.