CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — In a shocking case of political intimidation, Garry Lebron Hayes, 45, from Chattanooga, has been sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison for making threats against a Member of Congress. United States District Judge Curtis L. Collier imposed the sentence on September 10, 2025.
Hayes’s heinous act came to light when, in July 2024, he left a chilling voicemail at the district office of a U.S. Congressman, threatening violence and death. His message was explicit: ‘I’m gonna beat your ass bitch. I’m gonna kill you bitch.’
But this wasn’t Hayes’s first threat. In January 2024, while outside Tennessee, he targeted another Member of Congress with equally sinister words, identifying the Congressman by name and promising violence.
The court documents reveal a disturbing pattern of behavior. Hayes’s plea agreement states that he knowingly transmitted threats across state lines, violating 18 U.S.C. § 875(c). The sentencing guidelines recommended a term between 18 to 24 months, but the U.S. government advocated for the maximum sentence.
In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Collier emphasized the need to protect society from individuals like Hayes who threaten elected officials. ‘We must ensure that those who would maim and murder in the name of disagreement do not go unpunished,’ he stated.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Carrico of the FBI announced the sentence, while Assistant United States Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. represented the United States in court.
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Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Weapons|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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