Texas man who threatened to kill US Rep. Maxine Waters sentenced to 33 months in prison

The Texas man who was indicted last year and accused of threatening to kill US Representative Maxine ÁguasD-Calif., in a series of phone calls, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, federal officials announced Monday.

Brian Michael Gaherty, 61, of Houston, was convicted Monday and fined $10,000 for his crimes, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California.

The office also noted that U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner concluded that Gaherty specifically targeted Waters, who is black, because of her race and therefore added a hate crime enhancement to her sentence.

Joseph Vinas, an attorney representing Gaherty, said in a comment to NBC News that his client was “very sorry for what occurred,” adding that it is his “most sincere belief that, except for the mental health issue he currently suffers as a result If he himself were the victim of a violent crime, this would never have happened.”

Gaherty offered Waters, who was in court for sentencing Monday, “a heartfelt plea for her forgiveness and apologized to her and all those who were affected by her comments,” Vinas said.

In January, Gaherty pleaded guilty to one count of threatening a U.S. official, the USAO said. In his plea agreement, Gaherty admitted to threatening to assault and murder Waters four times in August and November 2022.

According to federal authorities, “Gaherty made these threats with the intent to impede, intimidate and interfere with Waters while she was engaged in the performance of her official duties.”

The four occasions were all via voicemail, which Gaherty left on the phone at the Waters district office in Los Angeles County, authorities said. In each of the four voicemails, Gaherty posed a violent threat and used profanity, as well as racist and misogynistic language.

In the August 2022 incidents, Gaherty threatened to “put a cap” between Waters’ eyes, “cut [her] throat” and “stomping on her,” authorities said.

Authorities contacted Gaherty in October 2022 and warned him to leave Waters alone. But a few weeks later, he continued to leave threatening messages on her office phone.

Gaherty left two more voicemails for Waters in November 2022, telling Waters that she “did [expletive] up” because she reported her previous threats to authorities and added “that’s no threat. It’s a… promise,” according to authorities.

In these calls, he also threatened Waters that he would meet her “on the street” and “come in [her] face,” telling her “you better watch out,” prosecutors said. Gaherty also repeatedly warned Waters that he had a “mob” nearby that could harm her.

Gaherty was arrested and indicted in August 2023 on eight counts related to the threats – four counts of making threats in interstate communications and four counts of threatening an official of the United States.

This article was originally published in NBCNews. with