A Pennsylvania man who was convicted of threatening President Donald Trump and a district attorney has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Authorities charged 28-year-old Shawn Christy of McAdoo, Pennsylvania with threatening to “put a bullet” in Trump and then-Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli and threatening “lethal force” against police. He led police on a three-month manhunt through several states before his September 2018 capture in Ohio.
Prosecutors said Christy posted Facebook threats against President Trump and then-District Attorney John Morganelli, writing “Keep it up Morganelli, I promise I’ll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of President Donald J. Trump.”
(Photos/The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Morganelli’s office prosecuted Christy for threatening to kill an employee at the Berkheimer tax collection office in Bangor in March 2017, and to blow up the building where the woman worked, according to Lehigh Valley Live. Morganelli is now a Northampton County judge.
In November, a federal jury convicted Christy on a dozen counts of threatening the president, making threatening communications and taking stolen firearms and vehicles across state lines.
Man Gets 20 Years for Threatening Trump, Pa. Prosecutor; Authorities charged 28-year-old Shawn Christy… with threatening to “put a bullet” in Trump https://t.co/wn12dpwK9k
— Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) August 1, 2020
In late 2018, Christy was wanted for threatening to harm and/or kill a police chief, other law enforcement officers, a district attorney and President Trump, the FBI previously released. Christy was believed to have left the state, but a social media post from the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, a truck believed to be stolen from Western Maryland was located in Schuylkill County.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Christy by the U.S. District Cart, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. for interstate communication of threats and threats against the President of the United States.
UPDATE—Fugitive Shawn Christy is believed to have returned to Pennsylvania, w/a truck recently stolen from Western MD located today in Schuylkill County. We ask the public to remain vigilant & report sightings of him to law enforcement ASAP. Case details: https://t.co/JKQaqs8e8H pic.twitter.com/4loGAiumz6
— FBI Philadelphia (@FBIPhiladelphia) August 21, 2018
Christy, a New Jersey native who last lived in Schuylkill County, went to trial last fall and was convicted in November by a federal jury on all 12 counts, including making threats against the president of the United States.
Christy faced burglary and related charges in Luzerne County, for allegedly breaking into his uncle’s Butler Township home. Those charges were later dropped.