Arthur Ray Hanson II, a 59-year-old man from Huntsville, Alabama, was sentenced to one year and nine months in federal prison for making threatening phone calls to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Sheriff Pat Labat. The calls were made on August 6, 2023, just over a week before former President Donald Trump and 18 others were indicted in Fulton County over efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. In the voicemails, which were laced with profanity and racial slurs, Hanson warned Willis to watch out and threatened her safety.
He also warned Labat against photographing Trump, stating, “some bad [expletive]’s probably gonna happen to you.”
During the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee described Hanson’s behavior as “appalling” and acknowledged that the victims’ fear was “real and legitimate.” In addition to the prison sentence, Hanson will be on supervised release for three years and must pay a $7,500 fine. Hanson, who pleaded guilty to the charges in June, tearfully apologized during the hearing, expressing remorse for his actions. His defense attorney, Tyler Wolas, explained that Hanson has a history of alcohol abuse and suffers from grand mal seizures and bipolar disorder.
Alabama man gets federal sentence
Willis, who spoke at the hearing, told the judge that the threats left her fearing not only for herself but also for her daughters and her father. Labat also highlighted the impact of the threats on his family.
Prosecutor Bret Hobson emphasized the seriousness of Hanson’s crime and the harm caused to the victims and their families. He argued for the sentence that was given, stressing the need for deterrence in threats against public officials. Willis stated after the hearing that she had forgiven Hanson and appreciated the judge highlighting the racist nature of the threats.
She affirmed her commitment to prosecuting every case in her office, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming presidential election.
