A Mechanicsburg man, identified as Robert L. Ingalls Jr., is facing federal charges for making death threats against an unnamed US Congressman from California.
Court records reveal a disturbing pattern of threats made by Ingalls, who had previously come to the attention of law enforcement for his alarming behavior.
The threats came to light after Ingalls left a series of menacing voicemail messages for the congressman, with one message stating, “You know what [expletive]? Hide, because if I find you, you’re a dead [expletive]. Yeah.”
The voicemails were left at the congressman’s Washington, DC, office on November 6, 2023, according to US Capitol Police records.
A US Capitol Police agent was able to trace the threatening phone calls back to Ingalls, who had a Tennessee driver’s license but was using a phone number with a Vermont area code to make the threats.
Ingalls, aged 61, allegedly made similar threats against the same congressman in the past, describing them as “premonitions.”
During a subsequent interview with Fairview Township police, Ingalls stated that he made these calls to force a judge to hear his case, in which he claimed that the congressman owed him millions of dollars.
Federal investigators have not yet disclosed the identity of the targeted congressman.
Ingalls’ interactions with law enforcement date back to November 2020, when he left a disturbing voicemail message at the congressman’s California office.
In that message, he made offensive and threatening remarks, sparking an FBI visit to his residence in Harrisburg.
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Impending Legal Action for Threats Against Congressman
Despite being warned not to make further threatening calls, Ingalls continued his alarming behavior.
In subsequent voicemails left for the congressman, Ingalls made explicit threats and disturbing comments, at one point stating, “Maybe I’ll make my appointment to see him.”
He also questioned why Capitol Police and the FBI did not protect the alleged credible threats against the congressman’s life.
Ingalls had a prior felony conviction for second-degree assault in 1988. His arrest warrant indicated that he was transient in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, despite having a last known address in Martin, Tennessee.
US Magistrate Judge Daryl Bloom has ordered that Ingalls remain detained, citing concerns that he may pose a flight risk and a danger to others.
The case highlights the seriousness with which law enforcement agencies and the judicial system treat threats against public officials, emphasizing the need for immediate action to address such threats. Ingalls is expected to face legal consequences for his efforts in federal court.
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