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Robert Lee Ingalls, Jr., age 61, of Mechanicsburg, is accused of leaving two voicemail messages "specifically threatened to kill a specifically identified United States Congressman" on the main congressional office answering system in Washington, D.C. Nov. 6, 2023, according to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam in a release on Tuesday, Nov. 14.
The United States Capitol Police investigated the case with assistance from the Fairview Township Police Department.
"It was determined Ingalls made the calls from his cell phone while Ingalls was in Mechanicsburg," according to a release by the US Department of Justice. The exact location and owner of the phone was also traced with assistance from AT&T, court records show.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by Daily Voice the first message at 3:24 p.m. was as follows:
"You know, [Congressperson 1’s First Name] 23 years of torture and torment. I mean torture by deprivation and, you know, slander and defamation has just really, you know, convinced me that you know, you're the head of the snake you need to f***ing die. Okay. Hey, you know what? Oh, we go to parade of lights do you think that might be the place? Some restaurant over in Georgetown or Silver Spring- Hey brah, it's nothing personal. It's business motherf***er. Yeah, you took away my life. I want yours. Uh huh."
Two minutes later he called back and said the following the court documents detail:
"… I mean really honestly if I can put your a** in the f***ing ground there's a whole lot of cops who will lose their badges and their pensions, right? How long has this been going on? You know what, I'm pissed at these cops. I really am. I'm pissed at you [Congressperson 1 First Name]. I mean you let people walk all over me, commit federal crimes against me, that netted them billions of dollars- wow these are good f***ing people, ha. You know what motherf***r? Hide, because if I find you you're a dead motherf***er. Yeah"
Ingalls had apparently begun making threats to the unnamed congressman three years ago in Nov. 2020, saying the following:
“Wouldn’t it be funny to see the Congressman’s beheaded head roll down the street…”
In Sept. 2023 he allegedly attempted to make an appointment to meet with the congressman but was denied.
During the investigation, it also came to light that Ingalls' same number had called in threats to the congressman in October going as follows in part, as stated in the criminal complaint:
"I am ready and willing to die. I am really close to DC… Can I meet with the congressman? Or is he too big of a f***ing p***y?"
"Why don’t your Capitol Police protect you? You ever think about that? I mean you have credible threats against your life [unintelligible] but the Capitol Police and the FBI don’t protect you? Why is that?..."
"All liars burn in hell. There's no forgiveness for liars. Find me one book that says liars will be forgiven. You know I take that back, but you won't, because I've read them all. You know the thing is, is that, um, yeah, he's a- he's a coward. He won't face me in federal court, which is what I want to do, and he won't, he won't face me in the street, which was the second option. Right? And so now, you know, what? Whats he got to keep his head down? Because I'm not in jail."
Ingalls was charged in a one-count criminal complaint with the interstate transmission of threatening communications.
He was arrested on Nov. 10, and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Daryl F. Bloom on Nov. 13.
He was ordered held in pretrial detention pending action by a federal grand jury.
There were multiple reasons cited for why he we denied bail reading as follows in the court records:
- By clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community.
- By a preponderance of evidence that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the defendant's appearance as required.
- Weight of evidence against the defendant is strong
- Lack of stable employment.
- Lack of stable residence.
- Lack of significant community or family ties to this district.
Assistant United States Attorney William Behe is prosecuting the case.
If he is convicted he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
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