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Louis Capriotti, Threatening Violence, Chicago IL, 2021
CHICAGO HEIGHTS, IL – Louis Capriotti, 47, of Chicago Heights, Illinois, will spend the next 37 months in federal prison after being sentenced today for a string of violent threats leveled against members of Congress and aimed at disrupting the 2021 Presidential Inauguration. The case, investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and U.S. Capitol Police, underscores the seriousness with which federal authorities treat threats to elected officials and the peaceful transfer of power.
Capriotti pleaded guilty last fall to one count of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. According to court documents, the threats began in November and December of 2020, with Capriotti falsely claiming to be an active U.S. Marine while berating members of Congress as “terrorists” in a series of voicemail messages. But the threats escalated dramatically as the inauguration approached.
On December 29, 2020, Capriotti left a particularly chilling voicemail for a U.S. House member. He stated, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, that if anyone believed Joe Biden would be sworn in on January 20th, they were “sadly [expletive] mistaken.” He didn’t stop there, adding, “We will surround the [expletive] White House and we will kill any [expletive] Democrat that steps on the [expletive] lawn.” The language, prosecutors argued, was a clear and present danger.
“Capriotti’s crime was a serious offense,” Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Durkin stated in a sentencing memorandum. “Such threats must be taken seriously because they have real implications for the victims receiving them.” Durkin and fellow Assistant U.S. Attorney William Dunne successfully argued for a substantial prison sentence, emphasizing the need to deter similar behavior in the increasingly polarized political climate.
Capriotti was arrested on January 12, 2021, and has been in federal custody ever since. U.S. District Judge Ronald A. Guzman credited Capriotti with time already served, meaning he will begin serving the remainder of his 37-month sentence immediately. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, with John R. Lausch, Jr. leading the effort.
The sentencing of Capriotti comes amid ongoing concerns about politically motivated violence and the targeting of elected officials. While the Secret Service and other agencies have increased security measures, cases like this demonstrate the constant vigilance required to protect democratic institutions and those who serve in them. Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago FBI Field Office, confirmed the agency remains committed to investigating all credible threats.
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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