A Philadelphia resident was sentenced on Mar. 31 to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine after being convicted of threatening to kill a Pennsylvania poll watcher, according to United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of election workers and the consequences for those who threaten public servants involved in the electoral process.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on John Courtney Pollard, age 63. In addition to his prison term, Pollard will serve one year of supervised release. The court heard that on September 6, 2024, Pollard sent four threatening messages over iMessage within ten minutes to a Regional Election Integrity Director who had posted online seeking volunteers for poll observation and included their phone number. The messages included explicit threats such as “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”
United States Attorney Rivetti said, “This prosecution, and the Court’s sentence of incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons, sends a clear and unmistakable message that threats against election workers and other public servants will be met with swift, certain, and just punishment. Our office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting free and fair elections.”
FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec also commented: “Among the FBI’s highest priorities is protecting the freedom and integrity of our election system. Threatening those tasked with upholding this process by weaponizing fear carries very real consequences. Our country relies on free and fair elections, and the FBI and our partners will hold accountable anyone who thinks they can impact it.”
An impact statement from Victim 1 described how Pollard’s actions led to “a year-long ordeal filled with fear and constant vigilance,” urging zero tolerance for death threats against civic workers: “Many of us are simply fulfilling our civic duty, yet we are becoming targets of a kind of hatred that is difficult to describe.” Before sentencing Pollard, Judge Bissoon noted that while he had no prior criminal history or record but stressed that “political violence is real”—firmly rejecting probation as an option.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted the case. U.S. Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its work leading up to this prosecution.
