Threats Made to Congressmen Land Grand Island Man Behind Bars

Threats Made to Congressmen Land Grand Island Man Behind Bars

A 63-year-old man from Grand Island, New York, has been arrested and charged with interstate communication of a threat. Carlos Bayon, 63, was taken into custody for allegedly leaving threatening voicemails for two U.S. Congressmen.

According to the complaint, Bayon left a threatening voicemail for Congressman One’s Louisiana office on June 30, 2018. The message stated, “Hey listen, this message is for you and the people that sent you there. You are taking ours, we are taking yours. Anytime, anywhere. We know where they are. We are not going to feed them sandwiches, we are going to feed them lead. Make no mistake you will pay. Ojo por ojo, diente por diente (This is Spanish for “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”). That is our law and we are the majority. Have a good day.”

The same threatening message was left for Congressman Two’s Washington State office on the same day. Investigators were able to trace both calls to Bayon’s number.

“Though the government cannot force people to respect one another, the government can force people to respect the rule of law by prosecuting those who break it,” stated U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. “If someone disagrees with a law, then the Constitution specifies the means to be pursued to have that law changed. Threats to lawmakers are not an acceptable means to accomplish that objective. Our country and our democracy are founded upon the principle of self-governance. Self-governance, however, is not the same as the unrestrained pursuit of self-interest—that is simply selfishness.”

The investigation was led by the United States Capitol Police, under the direction of Chief Matthew R. Verderosa, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.