Florida Man Threatens Congress, Pleads Guilty

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – John Joseph Kless, 49, of Tamarac, Florida, is facing serious time after admitting to a barrage of threats directed at members of the United States Congress. Kless pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of Making Threatening Communications, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). The feds aren’t playing around with this stuff.

According to court documents unsealed today, Kless unleashed his threats on April 16, 2019, targeting Congressional offices representing California, Michigan, and New Jersey. The specifics of the threats weren’t released, but authorities deemed them credible enough to launch a full federal investigation. This wasn’t some idle rant on social media; this was a direct attempt to intimidate and potentially harm those serving in government.

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Steven A. Sund, Acting Chief of Police for the U.S. Capitol Police, jointly announced the guilty plea. The U.S. Capitol Police Threat Assessment Section did the heavy lifting on this case, tracking down the source of the threats and building a solid case for prosecution. They’ve been increasingly focused on these types of incidents, and it shows.

Now, Kless is looking at a potential five-year stretch behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. And if that wasn’t enough, he could be slapped with a hefty $250,000 fine. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 20, 2019, at 1:15 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz in Ft. Lauderdale (Case No. 19CR60109). Don’t expect leniency.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc S. Anton is handling the prosecution, and he’s known for being a tough cookie. He’s building a case that will send a message: you don’t mess with Congress and expect to get away with it. The Grimy Times will be there for the sentencing, bringing you the full story.

Those interested in digging deeper into the case can find related court documents and information on the District Court for the Southern District of Florida website at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or through the PACER system at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. Consider this a warning: federal law enforcement *will* find you, and they *will* prosecute.

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