Maryland Man Pleads Guilty for Making Online Threats

Baltimore, Maryland – A 46-year-old man pled guilty in federal court to making threats online. Raymond Pumphrey, of Aberdeen, Maryland, is charged with making threats transmitted by interstate communication.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brian McDonough, U.S. Secret Service (USSS) – Baltimore Field Office.

According to the guilty plea, Pumphrey made a series of threatening posts on the social media platform YouTube and other social media sites to spread hateful rhetoric, particularly toward Black and Muslim communities. Commenting primarily on news stories, he advocated for and threatened to participate in the killing of black people in multiple large cities throughout the country. He further threatened to kill multiple politicians and members of their families.

Pumphrey faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, June 29, at 10 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and USSS for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Aubin who is prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.