UNITED STATES—On Friday, April 1, Paul Vernon Hoeffer, 60, of Florida, was sentenced to 18-months prison time for death threats made to Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, 82, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 38, and District Attorney of Cook County, Illinois, Kim Foxx, 50.
Reports indicate Hoeffer left at least one voicemail in March 2019, telling Speaker Pelosi to, “sleep with one eye open,” and threatening to cut her head off, “Jihadist style.”
In that same time frame, he also threatened Foxx, who initially represented actor Jussie Smollett in his alleged attack. Hoeffer left multiple messages for Foxx, used racial slurs, and said, “Bullets are going to rattle your ****ing brain,” among other threats.
In January 2020, Hoeffer pled guilty to three charges of interstate transmission of threats to injure. Prosecutors were recommending a sentence of 45 months prison time.
FBI officials visited Hoeffer in his home to inform him that this kind of threat could not be made and counsel him on his behavior. Initial FBI reports indicate that Hoeffer was compliant and showed remorse for his crimes.
In 2020, Hoeffer threatened Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York leaving voicemails and threatening to behead her. Hoeffer’s sentencing date was scheduled for April 1, 2022.
NEW: A Florida man was sentenced to 18 months in prison for making violent threats to Nancy Pelosi and AOC. https://t.co/Wa30gX4CEb
— Axios (@axios) April 1, 2022
Hoeffer’s attorney, Michael Ohle, explained to the court that his client’s defense is that he has been diagnosed with cancer. A long prison sentence could interfere with his medical care and communication with his physicians. Hoeffer is a tow truck driver from Palm Beach Florida. Details on the case can be viewed on the United States Department of Justice website.
