A Wilkinsburg man has been indicted by a federal grand jury after prosecutors said he made violent threats against government officials.
According to prosecutors, Raymond Eugene Chandler III, 40, faces five charges for allegedly leaving multiple voicemails threatening to kill President Donald Trump and a member of Congress’ daughter. He was indicted on charges of on charges of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official or federal law enforcement officer.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Troy Rivetti announced Friday that a five-count indictment named Chandler as the sole defendant.
He was arrested at his home May 1.
According to the affidavit filed against him, Chandler left repeated messages over the course of a year on the office phone of an unidentified member of Congress. In the messages, the government said, Chandler gave his name and address.
Two of the felony charges stem from specific voicemails.
The first was left April 18. Investigators said Chandler suggested people would kill the lawmaker and the lawmaker’s daughter.
Then, on April 29, prosecutors said Chandler urged the senator to kill Trump.
On May 1, Chandler allegedly left another voicemail for a member of Congress in which he praised anarchists for committing a historical bombing, ending the message with: “I want you to be terrified,” the indictment said.
During Chandler’s preliminary and detention hearings, prosecutors presented excerpts from a journal seized from his home after his arrest.
“I keep calling Congress telling them I want them to kill all the ICE agents and billionaires. I must sound insane to them and yet that is where my heart and head are really at,” one entry read, according to court documents.
Chandler’s arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday at 9 a.m., according to court documents.