A far-left activist has been convicted of threatening a federal official and for making interstate threats to kill two Fox News hosts.
Rickey Johnson of New York City was convicted by a jury of his peers for threatening Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Fox News hosts Greg Gutfeld and Laura Ingraham today.
After Johnson was found guilty, the Department of Justice said “Johnson’s attempts to scare and stifle a U.S. Senator and two Fox News hosts were federal crimes for which he has now been convicted by a New York jury.”
In court, prosecutors showed the jury private messages Johnson sent to Mr. Gutfeld that threatened, “you will be killed.”
He also posted public videos where he threatened to kill Manchin, Gutfeld, and Ingraham.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25, 2022.
DOJ issued a statement that said:
RICKEY JOHNSON was convicted yesterday of threatening a federal official and making interstate threats, following a one-week jury trial before the Honorable Lewis A. Kaplan.
JOHNSON threatened to kill United States Senator Joe Manchin and Fox News television hosts Greg Gutfeld and Laura Ingraham in direct messages and publicly posted videos on Instagram.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rather than express his political differences constructively, Rickey Johnson escalated his discord by instilling fear. Johnson’s attempts to scare and stifle a U.S. Senator and two Fox News hosts were federal crimes for which he has now been convicted by a New York jury.”
According to court documents and the evidence at trial:
On January 30, 2021, JOHNSON sent direct private messages to Mr. Gutfeld that threatened, “you will be killed.” On February 3, 2021, JOHNSON posted public videos in which he threatened to kill Senator Manchin, Mr. Gutfeld, and Ms. Ingraham.
Among other things, JOHNSON declared that Senator Manchin was “dead” and would be “executed”; told Mr. Gutfeld that he was “going to take [his] life”; and said that he would “kill” Ms. Ingraham with his “bare hands.”
JOHNSON, 48, of New York, New York, was convicted of two counts of transmitting threatening interstate communications, which each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of threatening a federal official, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
JOHNSON was also acquitted of one count of threatening a federal official.
The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
JOHNSON is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Kaplan on May 25, 2022.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), the NYPD’s Intelligence Bureau, Leads Investigation Unit, and the NYPD’s 23rd Precinct Field Intelligence Team.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit,” the statement said.
VERDICT: For Instagram Threats To Sen. Joe Manchin and others, Rickey Johnson Is Convicted in Trial With Juror Excused @SDNYLIVE Inner City Press story: https://t.co/uIqMDakVnW pic.twitter.com/080foiWLl5
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) February 25, 2022
