American Pleads Guilty to Threatening Sen. Tillis

Eric Charles Welton, a 53-year-old American living in Thailand, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill U.S. Senator Thom Tillis and his staff due to his anger over receiving unsolicited political emails. Welton made multiple harassing calls to Republican officials, threatening to 'put a bullet through their heads' and to 'mow down' North Carolina. Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and FBI Special Agent Robert M. DeWitt condemned the threats as an affront to democracy and emphasized the importance of protecting public officials from intimidation. Welton faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for July. This case highlights the challenges elected officials face from threats, which can impede their ability to serve the public effectively.