Tennessee Man Sentenced Two Years for Threatening Congress Members

Garry Lebron Hayes, a 45-year-old man from Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for leaving violent, profanity-laced voicemails threatening to kill Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and her family, as well as threatening South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. Hayes pleaded guilty to transmitting threats through interstate commerce, with messages spanning from 2022 to 2024, escalating to explicit death threats. U.S. District Judge Curtis L. Collier imposed the maximum sentence under federal guidelines to send a strong message deterring similar conduct, emphasizing the need to protect democratic institutions even though there was no evidence Hayes planned to carry out the threats. The threats included graphic and aggressive language targeting Greene's children and husband, and Hayes openly identified himself and his location in the messages. After completing his prison term, Hayes will be subject to supervised release for one year to prevent further threats. The sentencing coincided with the public assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, underscoring heightened concerns about violence against political figures.