Man admits to sending bomb threats to federal judge, then-Rep. Brindisi, Sen. Schumer

(WBNG) -- The United States Department of Justice announced that a man plead guilty to mailing threatening letters to judges and elected officials.

The Department of Justice said Dennis J. Nelson, 51, who is currently incarcerated in a Massachusetts jail, pleaded guilty to mailing threatening letters in 2018 and 2019 while he was jailed.

Nelson admitted that in Aug. 1, 2018, while incarcerated in a New York State correctional facility, mailed a threatening letter containing a bomb threat to the chambers of United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy in Binghamton. The letter threatened to kill Judge McAvoy and others at the courthouse with a bomb.

Nelson also admitted that on July 15, 2019, while incarcerated in New York, sent a bomb-threat letter to then-Democratic Congressman Anthony Brindisi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Nelson faces a term of imprisonment of seven years, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to three years. A sentencing date has not been determined.