The Justice Department has announced criminal charges against Igor Lira, a 40-year-old Slovakian national, for allegedly transmitting a threatening communication. Lira was extradited from Germany and made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland disclosed the indictment alongside Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office.
The indictment claims that on August 10, 2022, Lira threatened a senior investigator from the National Institutes of Health with violent language, stating: “You f*cking animal abuser, I’ll find and kill you, b*tch. I’ll drill your f*cking brain off, and I’ll film it, so everyone can watch. You don't deserve anything else. Your days are counted.”
If found guilty, Lira could face up to five years in federal prison; however, actual sentences often fall below maximum penalties as determined by a federal district court judge who considers U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
It is important to note that an indictment does not equate to guilt; those charged are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court.
Barron acknowledged the efforts of Germany’s Public Prosecutor General's Office (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft) in Düsseldorf and Germany’s Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz) for their roles in facilitating Lira’s extradition. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs also played a significant role in securing his extradition from Germany. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan is prosecuting this case.
Further information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.