Denton man gets 2 years in prison for sending threats to the Anti-Defamation League
SHERMAN (CBSNewsTexas.com) – A Denton man has been sentenced to two years in prison for threatening a Jewish organization, U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston announced.
Anthony Joseph Hammer, 34, was sentenced on April 11, 2023 after he pleaded guilty on May 3, 2022 to interstate communication of a threat.
According to information presented in court, Hammer sent a threatening electronic message to the Anti-Defamation League via its website's contact page on July 28, 2021. The Anti-Defamation League is a Jewish civil rights organization based in New York.
"Come and find me. Come after me. Come hunt me down. This is me. This is really me. All of my info. I will kill all of you Zionist pigs. 4th reich soon," the message read.
Hammer was already under investigation for threatening calls he made to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's office
Hammer reportedly made seven calls to Wolf's office requesting to speak to him. When staff members refused to put him through to the Governor, Hammer repeatedly threatened to kill Wolf and his staff members. This conduct was taken into consideration in calculating Hammer's appropriate sentence in the Eastern District of Texas.
"Threatening to harm others by using phones, computers or mail is a federal crime and taken very seriously," Featherston said. "Hammer believed he could promote his malicious agenda by making threats to kill and to disrupt business activity. That's why he is going to jail and being punished. Others who do the same will have the same fate."