Current:Home > MyMontana man pleads not guilty to charges that he threatened to kill former House Speaker McCarthy-InfoLens
Montana man pleads not guilty to charges that he threatened to kill former House Speaker McCarthy
View Date:2024-12-23 08:03:26
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges that he threatened to assault and murder former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Richard Lee Rogers of Yellowstone County in southern Montana entered the plea during an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan in federal court in Billings.
Rogers is charged with threats to injure and murder a member of Congress, which carries a 10-year prison sentence and $250,000 fine. He faces a second charge of making harassing telephone calls.
The threats allegedly happened Feb. 3, several weeks after Republicans elected McCarthy to his short-lived tenure as speaker —which was characterized by frequent clashes with hard-right members of his own party.
A grand jury indictment filed last month said the threats were intended as retaliation for McCarthy’s actions as House speaker but did not provide details. The indictment said Rogers made repeated interstate phone calls “solely to harass a person” but did not name the person.
Rogers has no prior criminal history, according to the judge, who allowed the defendant to remain free under conditions including no drugs or alcohol and no access to firearms. Rogers told the judge that he owns firearms but moved them to his mother’s house where they are in a locked safe he can not access.
Rogers and attorney Vann Arvanetes from the Federal Defenders of Montana declined comment after Tuesday’s hearing.
veryGood! (21973)
Related
- Georgia House Republicans stick with leadership team for the next two years
- Oklahoma softball goes from second fiddle to second to none with Love's Field opening
- AP Week in Pictures: Global
- A soldier turns himself in shortly after 4 people are killed in shootings in Germany
- Maine dams face an uncertain future
- Storytelling as a tool for change: How Marielena Vega found her voice through farmworker advocacy
- Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani announces he is married
- Journalism leaders express support for media covering the Israel-Hamas war, ask for more protection
- Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn’s SKIMS Holiday Pajamas Are Selling Out Fast—Here’s What’s Still Available
- How scientists are using facial-recognition AI to track humpback whales
Ranking
- Bankruptcy judge questioned Shilo Sanders' no-show at previous trial
- Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira expected to plead guilty in federal case
- Police: Man who killed his toddler, shot himself was distraught over the slaying of his elder son
- Kings of Leon talk upcoming tour and album, 'Sex on Fire' rise to fame: 'We got shots'
- Rachael Ray Details Getting Bashed Over Decision to Not Have Kids
- Montana judge declares 3 laws restricting abortion unconstitutional
- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testifies before Congress about his hospitalization: I did not handle it right
- Arizona’s Senate has passed a plan to manage rural groundwater, but final success is uncertain
Recommendation
-
Garth Brooks wants to move his sexual assault case to federal court. How that could help the singer.
-
Missouri is suing Planned Parenthood based on a conservative group’s sting video
-
One killed, 2 wounded in shooting in dental office near San Diego
-
Retailers including Amazon and Walmart are selling unsafe knockoff video doorbells, report finds
-
My Chemical Romance will perform 'The Black Parade' in full during 2025 tour: See dates
-
Montana judge declares 3 laws restricting abortion unconstitutional, including a 20-week limit
-
Artists outraged by removal of groundbreaking work along Des Moines pond
-
Slain pregnant Amish woman had cuts to her head and neck, police say