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Press Release

Amherst Man Indicted for Threatening Members of Congress and State Representative

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Hampshire

           CONCORD –Ryder Winegar, 33, of Amherst was indicted by a federal grand jury on Monday and charged with six counts of  threatening members of Congress and one count of threatening a New Hampshire State Representative, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

           Winegar was arrested on January 11, 2021 and is being detained pending trial. 

           The original complaint filed in court alleges that on December 16 and 17, 2020, Winegar left voicemails at the offices of six members of the United States Congress in the District of Columbia.  In some of the messages, Winegar identified himself by name or identified his telephone number.  The voicemails threatened to hang the members of Congress if they did not “get behind Donald Trump.”  For example, in one message, Winegar allegedly said, “I got some advice for you.  Here’s the advice, Donald Trump is your president.  If you don’t get behind him, we’re going to hang you until you die.” According to the indictment, on December 14, 2020, Winegar also contacted a New Hampshire State Representative by email threatening to “pull him from his bed and hang him.” 

            The charges in the indictment are only allegations.  The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Amherst Police Department, and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.

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Updated February 9, 2021

Press Release Number: 21-024