Robert J. Seifert, Mass Shooting Threat, New York 2016

Defendant Threatens Mass Shooting at Albany VA

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert J. Seifert, age 58, of Canandaigua, New York, pled guilty today to threatening to commit a mass shooting at the Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Special Agent in Charge Donna L. Neves of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office.

Seifert pled guilty to a charge of making an interstate threat to injure another. He admitted that on June 15, 2016, he made a phone call to a Veterans Crisis Line operator in Portland, Oregon, in which he stated "I got an Uzi and I wanna kill everybody at the Albany VA," "Watch what happens when I get to the Albany VA with my Uzi and I start shooting people up," and "I’m going to [expletive] kill everybody there."

Seifert has been in custody since July 14, 2016. As part of the plea agreement, the government and Seifert’s attorney asked the Court to impose a sentence of time served at the time of sentencing, as well as 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2017 before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.

Seifert’s actions put the lives of countless individuals at risk, said U.S. Attorney Hartunian. "We will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities from individuals who would seek to harm others."

“The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable individuals who seek to harm the men and women who have served our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Neves.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York reminds the public that an indictment is not evidence of guilt, and that the defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Violent Crime

Romain's Brazen Heist Sparks Federal Probe

Jul 1, 2009

Violent Crime

Western Air Express, Airliner Crash, California 1930

Dec 22, 1930

Violent Crime

Luis Alberto Garcia, Violent Crime, Illinois 2016

Mar 22, 2016

Violent Crime

Michael Sullivan, Embezzlement, Maryland 2022

Jul 1, 2017