prison inmate pleads guilty to retaliatory threats against a federal official
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court yesterday JAMES PAUL LUKINOFF, 58, pled guilty before United States Magistrate Judge James E. Gates to retaliating against a federal official by threat, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 115(a)(1)(B).
According to the November 16, 2011, Indictment, LUKINOFF devised a scheme and plan to assault and kill a federal law enforcement officer. From October, 2007, to November, 2011, LUKINOFF was incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina, to serve a prison term for a prior offense. From February, 2009, to April, 2011, LUKINOFF threatened to assault and kill the Federal Bureau of Investigation agent that had been assigned to investigate the prior offense.
The Indictment alleges that LUKINOFF developed and pursued a plan to purchase a firearm silencer for his .30 caliber Ruger Black Hawk Revolver and have a friend or family member store the silencer until his release from prison. Once released LUKINOFF planned to retrieve the silencer and his firearm, track and kill the agent in retaliation for what LUKINOFF claimed were lies told by the agent in relation to the prior case.
The maximum penalties include up to 10 years imprisonment followed by up to three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Murphy is prosecuting the case.
