Federal judge finds Houston-area man guilty of threatening to harm U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz – Houston Public Media

A Houston-area man was found guilty Monday of threatening to harm U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz by a federal judge.

Issac Ambe Nformangum, 24, was found guilty of one count of interstate communication with threat of injury. The incident dates back to June 26, 2022, when Nformangum threatened to harm and kill Cruz in a lengthy voicemail he left at the senator’s office, according to court documents.

“It is a civic duty of every American citizen or resident to ensure that every one of your colleagues is killed,” Nformangum said in the voicemail.

In the voicemail, the man said Cruz and “every one of (his) Republican colleagues” would be found “whether by finding you in a public space or following you to your very public homes.” Whose addresses are public knowledge.

A search of law enforcement databases revealed the name associated with the phone number left on voicemail. Nformangum was arrested at his home on June 28, 2022, for making a terrorist threat against Cruz, according to court documents.

“Nformangum called a U.S. senator’s office and made threatening comments,” U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said in a press release. “It was a scary call.”

“This is never acceptable, and the Southern District of Texas will always seek to hold actors like Nformangum accountable for their actions, deter others like him, protect the rule of law, and ensure a safe environment for all civil servants. ” he said.

The Civil Rights Act of 1965 was used to form the basis for Noformangum’s threats against Cruz, documents show.

The court heard testimony that Nformangum made a direct threat against the senator and failed to consider the scope and severity of the threats he made, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A judge set Nformangum’s sentencing for October 2 and he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

“You can criticize, refute and disagree with someone’s political views or vote, but you cannot threaten an elected official with violence simply because you don’t like their political agenda,” said Douglas Williams, agent from the FBI’s Houston field office. statement.

“These actions are not protected by the Constitution,” he said. “On the contrary, as Mr Nformangum discovered, it is a crime.”