Mechanicsburg Man Charged For Threatening To Kill A United States Congressman

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Lee Ingalls, Jr., age 61, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was charged in a one count criminal complaint with the interstate transmission of threatening communications.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, it is alleged that on November 6, 2023, Ingalls left two threatening voicemail messages on the main congressional office answering system in Washington, D.C.  It is also alleged that in both voicemail messages Ingalls specifically threatened to kill a specifically identified United States Congressman. It was determined Ingalls made the calls from his cell phone while Ingalls was in Mechanicsburg.

Ingalls was arrested on November 10, 2023.  Ingalls appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Daryl F. Bloom on November 13, 2023 and was ordered held in pretrial detention pending action by a federal grand jury.

The United States Capitol Police investigated the case and were assisted locally by the Fairview Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney William Behe is prosecuting the case.

Ingalls faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #