Utah Man Convicted for Threatening a Palestinian Rights Organization

A Utah man pleaded guilty to transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to injure the person of another. Specifically, the defendant, Kevin Brent Buchanan, threatened violence against the employees of a D.C.-based Palestinian rights organization. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 18.

According to publicly filed court documents, between Oct. 31, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, Buchanan used his cellular phone to call and leave five messages for members of the organization. In his Nov. 2 voice message, Buchanan stated in part: “Your families are going to be followed and watched.”; “You don’t even belong in America.”; “I hope every Muslim in the United States [expletive] croaks.”; “You are all going to [expletive] die, you pieces of [expletive] traitors.” Buchanan admitted that he intentionally targeted the organization because its staff and members are Palestinian, and because the organization advocates on behalf of Palestinians.

Buchanan faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine not to exceed $250,000.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Visser and Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.