A Virginia Beach man has admitted leaving 10 angry voicemails in one day for Sen. Mark Warner, including threats to shoot him in the ear and punch him in the jaw.
Anthony Butkiewicz III pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Norfolk to threatening to assault a U.S. Official, which carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised probation.
On Jan. 31, 2019, Butkiewicz left voicemails at Warner’s Richmond office, explaining his disagreement with Warner’s policies, “including on funding for the military, U.S. involvement in overseas conflicts, the southern border, and abortion among other issues,” according to the cases proffer.
Butkiewicz demanded Warner hold a town hall meeting in Norfolk: “I would personally like to stand face to face with you and I will punch you in the jaw! And you can lock me up and put me in jail, my friend! I ain’t got a problem with it.”
According to an earlier prosecution filing, Butkiewicz said: “[S]tick your head between your [expletive] legs and kiss your ass goodbye because we’ve got a bullet right for your ear!” Prosecutors said “we” in that statement referred to convicted D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo.
With the plea, Butkiewicz admits he “did threaten to assault Mark Warner, a Member of Congress, with intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with Senator Warner while he was engaged in the performance of his official duties.”
Judge Raymond Jackson will impose Butkiewicz’s punishment, when he’s sentenced on Oct. 17.
