American in Thailand admits threatening US senator
A 53 year old American living in Thailand is facing up to 10 years in prison after reportedly admitting to threatening to murder a US senator and his staff, all because of too many political emails.
Eric Charles Welton, an American expat residing in Thailand, allegedly pleaded guilty on Wednesday, April 9, to making death threats against US Senator Thom Tillis and his staff over unsolicited political emails. The 53 year old now faces up to a decade behind bars in a US federal prison for his alarming outburst.
According to the US Department of Justice, Welton was charged with one count of threatening a federal official in connection with his duties. His sentencing is scheduled for July.
In a series of disturbing incidents, Welton reportedly made numerous threatening phone calls to Republican officials and party organisers in the United States. Officials say the situation escalated in September 2021 when Welton contacted Senator Tillis’s office in Raleigh, North Carolina, and issued graphic threats of violence.
He threatened to “put a bullet through each of [their] heads,” “mow down” the entire state, and “find the person who emailed him and cut off their hands,” according to court records.
“Threatening to kill a public official and his staff is not only despicable, but also an affront to our democratic system of government,” said Daniel Bubar, Acting US Attorney, in the Department of Justice statement.
Robert DeWitt, FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina, echoed the sentiment, saying such threats undermine democracy and would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Senator Tillis, who has recently faced a rise in threatening messages for his decisions during and after the Trump administration, released audio clips of some threats and reaffirmed his intention to pursue legal action against anyone who tries to intimidate him or his team, reported South China Morning Post.
In a statement released yesterday, April 10, Tillis’s office thanked law enforcement and stressed the importance of holding people accountable in an era of rising hostility toward public servants.
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