October 31, 2023
Alabama Trump Supporter Indicted For Making Threats Against Georgia DA Fani Willis and Sherriff
A man from Alabama was indicted on federal charges for inciting violence against Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis and a sheriff in relation to an investigation into former President Donald Trump, The Associated Press reported.
The indictment, returned on Oct. 25, accused Arthur Ray Hanson II of Huntsville of leaving threatening voicemails for the Fulton County District Attorney and Sheriff Pat Labat on Aug. 6. Prosecutors claim Hanson called the Fulton County government customer service line, leaving voicemails for the prosecutor and the sheriff close to a week before the indictment was returned. In a voicemail left for Willis, Hanson allegedly told her to “watch out” and said she wouldn’t always have people around to protect her, citing that there will be vulnerable moments.
“When you charge Trump on that fourth indictment, anytime you’re alone, be looking over your shoulder,” he said.
The assailant threatened the sheriff, according to the indictment, over Trump taking a mug shot. “If you take a mug shot of the president and you’re the reason it happened, some bad (expletive)’s gonna happen to you,” and “You gonna get (expletive) up you keep (expletive) with my president,” Hanson allegedly said over voicemail.
Hanson, 59, said he is not guilty of the charges via phone call.
He made his first federal court appearance in Huntsville and is scheduled to be formally arraigned in Atlanta on Nov. 13. In a press release, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan called Hanson’s actions vile.
“When someone threatens to harm public servants for doing their jobs to enforce our criminal laws, it potentially weakens the very foundation of our society.” Officials are taking these charges very seriously. Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Keri Farley, said acts like this are a “threat against our democratic process.”
“The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution,” Farley said, according to CBS News. “We take this responsibility very seriously and seek to punish those who engage in this type of criminal behavior and to send the message that such conduct will not be tolerated.”
Hanson isn’t the first person to be indicted in connection with threats made to government and law officials. A woman from Texas was charged after allegedly threatening to kill a member of Congress and the federal judge in charge of a criminal case against the 44th president in Washington.