Jamaica Man Sentenced for Threatening Judge

Delroy Anthony McLean, a 42-year-old man from Jamaica, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison today for threatening a federal judge during a deportation hearing. The charge, threatening a federal official, carries serious weight in the Middle District of Georgia, where McLean made his violent threats inside Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin.

The sentencing, handed down by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Clay D. Land in Columbus, capped a trial held on October 4-5, 2016, where a jury heard evidence that McLean, detained and awaiting deportation, exploded in anger during a hearing before Judge Sandra Arrington-Dempsey. Witnesses testified he screamed that he would “bash the head” of the judge, then repeated the threat toward her husband and outside the courtroom, making it clear the intimidation was deliberate and sustained.

At the time of the threats, McLean was being held at Stewart Detention Center, a federal immigration facility operated under U.S. Department of Homeland Security oversight. His outburst occurred during a routine legal proceeding, turning a procedural moment into a federal crime scene. The investigation was led by DHS, underscoring the seriousness with which threats against judicial officers are treated.

U.S. Attorney G. F. “Pete” Peterman, III, made no apologies for the stiff sentence. “Federal judges are public servants who should be free from threats and intimidation while carrying out their duties. Respect for law and the courts is essential to the functioning of our judicial system. This substantial sentence should make clear that behavior such as that of Mr. McLean will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia.”

Prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Melvin E. Hyde, Jr., who built a case on recorded statements, witness testimony, and security logs from the facility. The jury’s guilty verdict sent a message: even behind bars, no one is above the law when they target those who enforce it.

After completing his 41-month sentence, McLean will face immediate deportation back to Jamaica. Inquiries about the case can be directed to Pamela Lightsey at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta at (478) 621-2603.

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