Florida man sentenced over death threat to Ilhan Omar

David George Hannon must also have no contact with US representative and three other congresswomen

A federal court judge on July 6 sentenced a Florida man, 67, to three years of probation for sending an email threatening to kill Representative Ilhan Omar and three other congresswomen three years ago. AP

Ms Omar speaks in June outside the US Capitol building about global and domestic food crises. Getty / AFP

Ms Omar represents the US state of Minnesota. Getty Images / AFP

Ms Omar bows her head in a moment's silence at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, where he died at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Star Tribune / AP

Representative Ayanna Pressley and Ms Omar after members of the House Progressive Caucus went to the Senate and shouted in protest before a procedural vote on the Women's Health Protection Act to codify the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision. AP

Ms Omar with the President of Azad Kashmir, Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, during her visit to Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-administrated Kashmir, in April. Reuters

Ms Omar with Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, in Islamabad in April. Press Information Department / Reuters

Ms Omar responds to anti-Islamic comments by Representative Lauren Boebert, who likened her to a bomb-carrying terrorist, at the Capitol in Washington. AP

A US federal judge sentenced a former supporter of Donald Trump to three years of probation and a $7,000 fine for sending an email threatening to kill Ilhan Omar, US Representative of Minnesota, and three other congresswomen.

David George Hannon also must undergo mental and substance abuse treatment and have no contact with Ms Omar or Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, according to a report in the Tampa Bay Times.

Hannon, who pleaded guilty in April to threatening a federal official, sent the email after the four Democratic lawmakers held a news conference in July 2019 in response to criticism from former president Donald Trump, who said they should “go back” to the “crime-infested places” from which they came.

“He was doing that because Trump told him to,” his daughter, Elizabeth Hannon Dillon, told the judge during the hearing on Wednesday. “He was a Trump supporter and now he regrets it.”

This threat was “heinous and inappropriate in every regard”, US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said. “This sort of behaviour has no place in our society.”

Sentencing guidelines called for about 10 months in prison, but Ms Mizelle noted that a probation officer recommended against prison time, along with Hannon's expressions of remorse, lack of prior trouble, his age and health problems.

“I’m very, very sorry and very remorseful about my behaviour that night,” Hannon said as he stood before the judge, stooped and trembling.

Hannon emailed Ms Omar's campaign with a subject line that read: “Your Dead You Radical Muslim,” writing that Ms Omar should get more security or she and the other women would be “six feet under”.

Ms Omar's staff immediately notified federal agents, but the FBI didn't visit Hannon at his Sarasota, Florida home until 19 months had passed and Mr Trump was out of office.

Hannon admitted that he disparaged Ms Omar's Islamic faith, but the judge declined to apply a hate crime adjustment to Hannon's sentence, which could have increased the sentencing guidelines.

“I do have remorse that I did target Ms Omar,” Hannon said. “But I don’t have any hatred towards anyone whether their race, creed, colour or nationality. This is the United States of America and whatever people do and say, they have a right to do that. But I had no right to write that email.”