A Houston resident, Jeremy James Joseph, 42, has been sentenced to federal prison for sending threatening emails to officials in Harris County and others. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Joseph represented himself during the re-arraignment and sentencing, where he pleaded guilty on December 13. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal sentenced him to 16 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. During the hearing, evidence was presented detailing how Joseph threatened his victims without showing remorse.
Joseph admitted to sending threatening emails over two years to judges, lawyers, and court personnel within the Harris County judicial system. His messages included explicit threats such as "rage gunfire and bombs on Harris County," along with graphic descriptions of intended violence.
The threats extended beyond county officials; Joseph also targeted news media outlets, universities, and hospitals both inside and outside Houston. These communications contained not only threats but also racial, homophobic, and ethnic slurs.
During sentencing, Joseph chose not to speak on his behalf.
"Jeremy James Joseph's despicable actions involved sending heinous threats through emails to judges, lawyers and public officials over two years," said Hamdani. He added that these actions breached the safety necessary for public servants to perform their duties effectively.
Joseph will remain in custody until he is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility soon. The FBI led the investigation while Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard D. Hanes is handling the prosecution.