For the Second Time, Maryland Man Convicted at Trial of Making Violent Threats Against Federal Judges

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Keith Dougherty, 69, of College Park, Maryland, was convicted today at trial of one count of threatening to assault and murder United States judges with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with them while they were engaged in the performance of official duties, and with the intent to retaliate against them on account of their performance of official duties, and three counts of mailing threatening communications.

Dougherty was charged by indictment in July of last year with those offenses.

As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, the defendant has mailed and/or filed motions containing threatening language directed at federal judges, on numerous occasions and in several federal districts. He had already been prosecuted and convicted by a federal jury in December of 2021 for such filings and served a 41-month prison term in that case, followed by a three-year period of supervised release.

Just months into that supervised release, he uttered more threatening communications, so his supervised release was revoked, and he was returned to prison. While back in prison serving the violation sentence, he again mailed and/or filed the same sort of threatening language, resulting in the July 2024 charges and today’s trial conviction.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum possible term of 40 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.

“No judge should have to fear that one of their rulings might provoke a violent attack in response,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Keith Dougherty knows that threatening judges is a crime. He’s already been prosecuted, convicted, and served previous time for sending these vile communications. His behavior is unacceptable, and today’s verdict ensures he’ll answer for it and remain safely behind bars.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph LaBar.