Kansas Man Convicted of Threatening U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal court jury has convicted a Kansas man of threatening U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner. Chase Neill, 32, of Lawrence, was found guilty of a single count of threatening a U.S. government official.

Neill had acted as his own attorney and questioned LaTurner on the witness stand. He admitted in court that he had threatened to kill the congressman, claiming he was a messenger from God. Neill said he had threatened LaTurner for ignoring his concerns about sorcery, wizards, extraterrestrials and a war for people’s souls.

The presiding judge instructed jurors that to find Neill guilty, they had to conclude that a reasonable person would find that he had made a true threat and intended to either intimidate LaTurner or interfere with his work as a Republican congressman representing eastern Kansas.

Prosecutors said Neill had left the death threat in a June 5 voicemail in the Republican congressman’s Topeka office. The conviction comes amid what authorities have said is a sharp rise in threats against members of Congress and their families.

Neill is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14. He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.