Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Kill VA Hospital Employees

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Mark W. Sweeney, age 60, of Syracuse, New York, pled guilty today in Utica, New York. before United States District Court Judge David N. Hurd, to threatening to kill federal officials employed at the Syracuse Veterans Affairs Hospital (VA), announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Jon Godfrey, Chief, Veterans Affairs Police, Syracuse, New York. 

As part of his guilty plea, Sweeney admitted that he made a telephone call to the Veterans Crisis Line and during that call made several threatening statements directed to the Syracuse VA Hospital staff, including that he intended to kill multiple people who treated him and had a plan, and the means to do so. 

Sweeney faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a term of supervised release of up to three years when he is sentenced on November 7, 2019, by Judge Hurd.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. 

This case is being investigated by the Veterans Affairs Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian.