DENVER — A Florida man was sentenced Tuesday to 24 months in federal prison for sending threats to multiple targets, including Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.
Richard Kantwill was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, according to a news release from the Colorado Secretary of State Office.
Kantwill was convicted on four counts of interstate transmission of threatening communication, including a threat of violence against Griswold. It used racist, misogynistic, sexist and vulgar slurs, according to the release.
The threat was sent on Feb. 9, 2024, following the U.S. Supreme Court's hearing of Donald J. Trump v. Norma Anderson et al., which concerned Trump's eligibility for Colorado's Presidential Primary ballot due to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.
The Supreme Court ruled that states cannot enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment for federal candidates before Congressional action, allowing Trump to appear on the ballot.
In a statement, Griswold emphasized the importance of taking such threats seriously.
“Threats to try to intimidate election officials are unacceptable. It’s important that threats like these are taken seriously and that bad actors are charged for their actions. I want to thank law enforcement and the prosecutors who brought this man to justice,” she said.
The release said that since September 2023, Griswold has received over 2,300 violent or death threats, with at least three other individuals convicted or pleading guilty to making threats against her.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.