Maryland man who threatened to kill Sen. Ted Cruz pleads guilty

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN

A Maryland man pleaded guilty Thursday to threatening to murder a member of Congress, the Department of Justice announced in a news release.

Justin Kuchta, 39, sent a message in July threatening to kill a Texas member of Congress through an event invitation website, according to his plea agreement. Though the member is not identified in court records, CNN has previously reported that the threat was aimed at Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.

CNN has reached out to Cruz’s office for comment.

“I’m coming to murder all of you Satanist f**kers!!!” Kutcha wrote in response to an online event invitation, according to court documents. “Especially the chuckle-f**k Zodiak [sic] Killer!! That fat fake f**ker ass will be the first on the gallows!!” Kutcha sent a similar message to Cruz’s office days later, prosecutors said.

Kutcha pleaded guilty to interstate communication containing a threat to injure and faces up to five years in federal prison when he is sentenced in April, the DOJ said.

“You have the right to your own opinions, but not the right to threaten a federal official’s life,” Erek Barron, the US attorney for the District of Maryland, said in a statement Thursday. “We’ll continue prosecuting these threats to the fullest extent of the law.”

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