Inmate charged with making threats
Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a federal grand jury in Cleveland returned an indictment charging Joseph A. Huber with making an extortionate threat via U.S. mail, and threatening to damage or destroy a federal building.
Huber, age 42, is currently incarcerated at the Trumbull Correctional Institution.
According to the indictment, in May 2011, Huber threatened, by multiple letters, to kill a federal judge. The indictment alleges that these letters were sent in order to obtain the federal judge’s intervention and influence in a state case for which Huber had been sentenced.
The indictment also alleges that in May, 2011, another letter from Huber was sent to a second federal judge and threatened the death of the judge’s family member unless $30,000 was provided by the judge to Huber.
“The independent federal judiciary is the crown jewel of our democracy. When someone threatens those who serve in it - not to mention their families - they strike a blow at our constitutional system, and we can and will vigorously respond,” said United States Attorney Steve M. Dettelbach.
If convicted, defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney, Michelle M. Baeppler, following an investigation by the United States Marshals Service.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
