Inmate at Red Onion State Prison Sentenced for Mailing Threats to Federal Judges

Abingdon, VIRGINIA – Mitchell Norbert Nicholas, 41, an inmate at Red Onion State Prison serving a life sentence for murder, was sentenced last week to an additional 72 months in federal prison for his federal conviction on charges he sent threatening letters to a pair of federal judges. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen made the announcement.

Following a two-day jury trial in August 2019, Nicholas was convicted of two counts of mailing threats to injure another person and two counts of threatening to murder a United States Judge with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with their performance of official duties, or with the intent to retaliate against such judge on the performance of their official duties.

According to evidence presented during trial, Nicholas was serving a murder sentence at Red Onion State Prison after being found guilty of first degree murder in the Virgin Islands in 2007. While incarcerated, Nicholas mailed a letter to United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in the Virgin Islands, which stated, in part, “Dear Ruth, You thought that I was a nobody.  Now I must manifest my dream of your death.  It is more fun when the prey knows it is being hunted.  I am going to kill you!  Patiently submitted, signed Mitchell N. Nicholas.” 

In a second letter, mailed to United States District Court Judge Curtis Gomez of the Virgin Islands, Nicholas stated, in part, “Dear Curtis, You are a disappointment and must not be allowed to live any longer.  I am going to kill you!  Patiently submitted, signed Mitchell N. Nicholas.” 

The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Lena Busscher and Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.