Robert M. Phelps, 62, of Torrington, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with threatening to murder U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California.
Phelps was arrested on March 13.
Following his arrest, he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport and was released on a $25,000 bond.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on November 12, 2019, the office of U.S. Congressman Schiff received a threatening communication through a Meeting Request entry form on Congressman Schiff’s official website.
The meeting request included the statement “…I want to kill you with my bare hands and smash your…face in.” In addition, in response to the preferred days of the week for the meeting request, Phelps wrote “Measure your Coffin day,” according to court papers.
It is further alleged that, on December 4, 2019, investigators interviewed Phelps at his Torrington residence and confirmed that Phelps sent the threatening communication.
The complaint charges Phelps with threatening to assault and murder a U.S. official, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and with making interstate threats, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Phelps is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.