A Rochester man is facing criminal charges after threatening a US Representative. 64-year-old Randall E. Tarr of Rochester has been charged with making a threatening communication against US Congressman Rodney Davis. Tarr appeared in court before US Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins in Springfield on Thursday.
Tarr called up to Representative Davis’s office on Thursday morning and left a profanity-filled voicemail message in which he threatened to shoot the congressman.
“Man, I just saw you (unintelligible) on the TV. You backing the Russians, boy? What’s wrong with you? Are you (unintelligible) so ****** stupid? I was in the military for eight years, and you ********** are backing the Russians over our own intelligence? What is wrong with you Rodney? Oh my God. I’m not voting for you next time. You ******. I’m not voting for, boy, you are a stupid ************* I don’t care if you back Trump. But stupid ********* you’re gonna go against our military and back the Russians? You ****** ****** (Unintelligible), If I (unintelligible), I’m a sharpshooter. I could. I’d like to shoot your ***** head off you stupid ********).”
According to the affidavit filed in District Court, the voicemail message was forwarded to US Capitol Police in Washington D.C. and through caller ID, police were able to identify Tarr as the alleged caller and U.S. Capitol Police contacted the Rochester Police Department to ask officers to make contact with Tarr. Rochester Police along with the FBI interviewed Tarr and arrested him.
Tarr admitted that he made the call and stated that he is an Army veteran but that he did not own any firearms. He also denied being under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he telephoned Congressman Davis’s office.
Tarr was charged with one count of communication of a threat to injure a person, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and one count of making a threat to a federal official which carries a statutory maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
In court on Thursday afternoon, Judge Schanzle-Haskins appointed the federal public defender for the bond hearing. Tarr was released from custody with the following conditions: home detention and location monitoring, prohibited contact with any victims and witnesses, no consumption of alcohol, and cooperation in drug and alcohol screening and mental health evaluation.
Tarr is scheduled to appear in court next on December 17th. Assistant US Attorney Crystal Correa is representing the government in the prosecution, while the FBI and Rochester Police Department continue conducting the investigation.
The Department of Justice would like to remind everyone that a complaint is merely an accusation and all people are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
