A man from Indiana has pled guilty to sending a communication that included a threat of violence to an election worker in Michigan.
Andrew Nickels pled guilty on Tuesday (Feb. 27) to threatening that he and millions of so-called “Patriots” would kill an election worker in Michigan.
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Nickels also, among other threats, said the local public official deserved a “Throat to the knife” for saying that there were no irregularities in the election.
“Election officials and workers play a critical role in safeguarding free and fair elections,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals who seek to undermine this core tenet of our democracy by threatening election officials with violence.”
Court documents revealed on or about Nov. 10, 2020, Nickels, 37, called the clerk of a local municipality and left a voicemail threatening to kill the local official.
Nickels stated on the voicemail, “We’re watching your mouth talk about how you think that there’s no irregularities. [Y]ou frauded out America of a real election.”
Nickels then told the clerk, “You’re gonna pay for it,” and described how “10 million plus patriots will surround you when you least expect it.”
The 37-year-old continued, “[W] e’ll [Expletive] kill you. [Y]ou will [Expletive] pay for your [Expletive] lying ass remarks. We will [Expletive] take you out. [Expletive] your family, [Expletive] your life, and you deserve a [expletive] throat to the knife. Watch your [Expletive] back. Watch your [Expletive] back.”
“No public official should face the violent threats that the victim, in this case, did, just for doing their job of ensuring the fairness and integrity of our federal, state, and local elections,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Today’s guilty plea should send a clear message that those who engage in this egregious conduct will be held accountable.”
“Those who work to ensure the integrity of our democratic process should be able to continue without fear of intimidation or violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will not tolerate threats against any local, state, or federal elections workers and will continue working with our law enforcement partners to mitigate such threats.”
Nickels pled guilty to one count of making a threatening interstate communication. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The FBI Detroit Field Office is investigating the case.
