Philadelphia Man Sentenced for Threatening Poll Worker

John Pollard, 63, of Philadelphia, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release after threatening a Pennsylvania poll watcher, the Department of Justice announced.

Details of the Threat

On September 6, 2024, Pollard sent four threatening text messages to an election integrity director over a ten-minute period. The messages were sent in response to an online post seeking volunteers to observe polls on Election Day.

The Threatening Messages

Pollard initially expressed interest in becoming a poll watcher before sending the following threatening message: “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!”

Official Statements

United States Attorney Rivetti stated, “This prosecution, and the Court’s sentence of incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons, sends a clear and unmistakable message that threats against election workers and other public servants will be met with swift, certain, and just punishment.”

FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec added, “Among the FBI’s highest priorities is protecting the freedom and integrity of our election system. Threatening those tasked with upholding this process by weaponizing fear carries very real consequences.”

Impact on the Victim

A statement presented in court revealed the victim experienced a “year-long ordeal filled with fear and constant vigilence” due to Pollard’s threats. The victim urged the court to send a “strong message to the country” regarding zero tolerance for death threats against those in civic or political roles.

Victim's Plea

The victim emphasized that many individuals are simply fulfilling their civic duty and should not be targets of hatred.

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