Westerville Man Sentenced for Threatening Congressman

COLUMBUS, Ohio – E. Stanley Hoff, 69, of Westerville, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 40 months in prison for threatening to assault and murder a United States official.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and the United States Capitol Police announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.

Hoff was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2017, and, according to court documents, threatened to assault and murder U.S Representative Steve Stivers and a member of Stivers’ family.

Hoff was responsible for a series of threatening voicemails from February to June 2017 left at the Representative’s office in Hilliard.

For example, in March, a portion of one of Hoff’s messages stated, “we’re going to take care of it our way” and “Leave Obamacare alone or die.”

In another message, Hoff references the June 2017 Congressional Baseball Game for Charity shooting and calls it “only the tip of the iceberg” saying maybe the “next one taken down will be” Stivers.

“Hoff threatened the Congressman and his family because the Congressman was not legislating according to Hoff’s political views,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “That is unacceptable in our society. Peaceful political argument or banter is one thing, but Hoff’s conduct was a far cry from that. Threatening to assault or murder a United States official on account of that official’s performance of his or her duties is a serious federal crime — regardless of political party or views. The significant prison sentence that Hoff received today is warranted by his conduct and, I hope, will make others think twice about threatening government officials.”

Hoff was arrested on June 21, when he was charged by a criminal complaint and has been held without bond. He pleaded guilty in October 2017.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the U.S. Capitol Police and Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Kelley and Noah Litton, who are prosecuting the case.

# # #