Joshua Hall, 22, of Mechanicsburg, made the violent threats against Swalwell in August while awaiting sentencing in a separate fraud scheme where he used photographs and names of former President Donald Trump’s family members to collect thousands of dollars from hundreds of people on social media, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
“Joshua Hall made terrifying threats to the staff of a United States Congressman whom he disliked, rather than attempting to effect change through any of the freedoms of expression that all Americans enjoy,”
According to prosecutors, Hall placed calls to Swalwell’s California office in Castro Valley from a location in Yonkers, New York, on Aug. 29. During those calls, he told at least three members of the congressman’s staff that he intended to kill the lawmaker.
During one of the calls, which all took place on Aug. 29, Hall said he had a lot of AR-15 assault rifles, that he wanted to shoot the congressman, that he intended to go to the office and would kill Swalwell if he saw him, prosecutors said. Hall also said he wanted to beat up the Congressman and would hurt him if he found him. On another call, Hall again said he intended to go to Swalwell’s office and shoot him to death.