Man pleads guilty to threatening Senator Manchin

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Steven Anthony Major, 50, from Barboursville, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to threatening to murder United States Senator Joseph Manchin, III.

Major made four separate threats to murder Sen. Manchin from Mar. 17-20, 2014. He admitted to making calls to Sen. Manchin’s Charleston and Washington D.C. offices, during which he left messages identifying himself, and making violent threats against the senator and his family.

Major faces up to 10 years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27, 2015.

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the plea hearing.

The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Capitol Police and West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is handling the prosecution.

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