Man in Prison Receives 20 More Years for Threatening Judges
- An incarcerated man has been sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison for sending threats to federal judges and law enforcement officials.
- The threats were made through letters sent from the prison, targeting judges, U.S. Marshals, and federal prosecutors.
- The Justice Department announced the man's extended sentence on Thursday.
August 22 (UPI) — Michael Dean Drew, 51, has been sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison for threatening federal judges, U.S. marshals, and federal prosecutors through letters sent from behind bars. The Justice Department announced the sentence on Thursday, stating that it will run consecutively to his current prison term. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the importance of protecting public officials who uphold the law, asserting that they should not live in fear for their safety or that of their families. Drew's threats escalated in May 2023 when he mailed a letter to a federal judge in Florida, warning that the judge would "die a violent death" for overseeing a specific criminal case. In August, he sent two additional letters to a Miami federal courthouse, targeting another judge and members of the U.S. Marshal Service. The Justice Department reported that Drew detailed plans to recruit individuals to carry out violent acts against these officials. While incarcerated, Drew continued his threats, sending letters to assistant U.S. attorneys in Virginia and Georgia, claiming he had enlisted gang members and Aryan Nation affiliates to murder them and their families. The letters contained graphic descriptions of the intended violence, with Drew expressing a "sincere intent" to follow through on his threats. In June, Drew pleaded guilty to five counts of mailing threatening communications, culminating in the recent sentencing that underscores the serious nature of his actions and the commitment of law enforcement to protect those in the justice system.