SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Stephen J. Taubert, age 61, of Syracuse, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Glenn T. Suddaby to serve 46 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, and to pay a fine of $1,000, following Taubert’s conviction after trial on charges that he threatened to kill Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA 43rd District) and her staff, and separately threatened to kill former President Barack Obama.  The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Chief Matthew R. Verderosa, United States Capitol Police, and Special Agent in Charge Lewis Robinson, United States Secret Service, Buffalo, New York Field Office.

United States Attorney Jaquith said, “The jury unanimously found that Taubert targeted former President Obama and Representative Waters because of their race.  Racist threats to kill present and former public officials are not protected free speech, but serious crimes against both the victims and the rule of law that is the cornerstone of our republic.   As the trial verdict and sentence in this case illustrate, those who spew such vile, violent hatred will be held accountable.”

In March 2019, a federal jury found Taubert guilty of making several telephone calls to the Washington D.C. office of then-Minnesota Senator Al Franken in June 2017. In two of those calls, Taubert stated that he was planning to go to Washington D.C. the next day to “hang” former President Obama at his home and to kill him. In making these threats, Taubert repeatedly used vile racial slurs directed toward former President Obama.

The jury also convicted Taubert of threatening Congresswoman Maxine Waters on July 20, 2018. Taubert called the Los Angeles, California district office of Congresswoman Waters and stated that he would be at every event the Congresswoman attended and that he would kill her and every member of her staff. In making these threats, Taubert directed vile racial slurs toward Congresswoman Waters and her staff.

The evidence at trial included a recorded law enforcement interview of Taubert, during which he admitted that he called Congresswoman Waters’s office to “terrorize” her in retaliation for public statements she had previously made.

In addition to returning guilty verdicts on all three counts charged in the indictment, the trial jury made specific findings that Taubert selected his victims because of their actual or perceived race, color, or ethnicity, which provided for an enhancement under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines based upon hate-crime motivation.

This case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police, Threat Assessment Section, and the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Syracuse Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Michael F. Perry.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A jury today convicted Stephen J. Taubert, age 61, of Syracuse,  of making death threats toward former President of the United States Barack Obama and Congresswoman Maxine Waters. The verdict was announced by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Chief Matthew R. Verderosa, United States Capitol Police, and Special Agent in Charge Lewis Robinson, United States Secret Service, Buffalo, New York Field Office.

The verdict followed a three-day trial in federal court in Syracuse,. Taubert was convicted of threatening to kill a former President of the United States, transmitting a threat via interstate commerce, and threatening to murder a member of Congress with intent to impede, interfere with, or retaliate against a member of Congress during and because of her performance of official duties.

The evidence at trial demonstrated that on June 2, 2017, Taubert made multiple phone calls to the Washington D.C. office of then-Minnesota Senator Al Franken. In two of those calls, Taubert stated that he was planning to go to Washington D.C. the next day to “hang” former President Obama at his home and to kill him. In making these threats, Taubert repeatedly used vile racial slurs directed toward former President Obama.

The evidence at trial also demonstrated that on July 20, 2018, Taubert called the Los Angeles, California district office of Congresswoman Maxine Waters and stated that he would be at every event the Congresswoman attended and that he would kill her and every member of her staff. In making these threats, Taubert directed vile racial slurs toward Congresswoman Waters and her staff.

The evidence at trial included a recorded interview of Taubert, during which he made racist statements and an admission that he called Congresswoman Waters’s office to “terrorize” her in retaliation for public statements she had made.

The jury returned guilty verdicts on all three counts charged in the indictment. The jury also made specific findings that Taubert selected his victims because of their actual or perceived race, color, or ethnicity, which provides an enhancement under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines for hate-crime motivation.

Taubert is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2019, in Syracuse by Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, who presided over the jury trial. Taubert faces up to 10 years in prison on the retaliation count and up to five years on each of the other two counts. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police, Threat Assessment Section, and the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Syracuse Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Michael F. Perry.