73-Year-Old Greenacres Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Threatening to Kill a Member of Congress and the Congressperson’s Children

MIAMI – Yesterday, U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz sentenced Michael Shapiro, 73, to 24 months in prison during a hearing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for leaving three voicemail messages threatening to kill a member of Congress and the Congressperson’s children.   

According to court records, on Dec. 19, 2023, Shapiro called and left five voicemail messages at a U.S. Congressional Office in Washington, D.C. from his residence in Greenacres, Fla. In three of the messages, Shapiro threatened to kill the Congressperson and the Congressperson’s children. Specifically, Shapiro stated, “I'm gonna come after you and kill you [expletive]." In another call, Shapiro stated, “I'm gonna come and kill your children you mother-[expletive]. I'm gonna kill your children.”

Shapiro was arrested at his home on Jan. 3. On May 17, Shapiro pled guilty to the indictment charging him with transmitting threatening communications.

Markenzy Lapointe, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and J. Thomas Manger, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), announced the sentence.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto prosecuted the case.  

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-80007.

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