Joseph A. Huber, 47, a federal inmate formerly of Cleveland, is facing five federal charges for threatening to assassinate two judges and detonate explosives at two Ohio federal courthouses. The indictment, unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, paints a chilling picture of a man consumed by rage from behind bars, lashing out at the very system holding him.
The charges stem from letters Huber allegedly authored on September 26, 2016. In one, addressed to U.S. District Court Judge Christopher A. Boyko in Cleveland, Huber threatened to kill the judge, members of his family, and a federal prosecutor involved in Huber’s 2014 conviction. He also vowed to blow up the ‘fancy federal building’ where Judge Boyko presides—a direct attack on federal authority and public safety.
On that same day, Huber targeted another member of the judiciary: Akron-based U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen B. Burke. He sent her a letter threatening her life after she dismissed a civil suit he had filed. The letter included a promise to destroy the federal courthouse where she works—escalating a legal setback into a violent fantasy.
Huber didn’t stop there. On October 6, 2016, he sent a second letter to Magistrate Judge Burke, again threatening to kill her. The repeated nature of the threats underscores a pattern of intimidation, not a momentary outburst. Federal authorities say the letters were intercepted and investigated immediately by the U.S. Marshals Service—Office of Protective Intelligence.
If convicted, Huber’s sentence will be determined under federal sentencing guidelines, taking into account his prior criminal record, role in the offenses, and the specifics of the threats. Each count carries a maximum penalty under federal law, though actual sentencing will depend on the court’s discretion after trial. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benedict S. Gullo.
An indictment is not a conviction. Joseph A. Huber is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. But the charges expose a dangerous breach of judicial safety—one that federal prosecutors are treating with the utmost seriousness.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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