Alabama man charged with threatening Fulton DA, sheriff over Trump investigation

A federal grand jury in Atlanta indicted Arthur Ray Hanson II from Huntsville with two counts of transmitting interstate threats to injure Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Sheriff Patrick Labat. The charges stem from threatening and expletive-filled voicemails that Hanson left on the county’s customer service line.

In the voicemails, Hanson threatened violence and harm to both Sheriff Labat and District Attorney Willis in response to the indictment of former President Donald Trump. He warned them about potential dangers, suggesting that they should be afraid for their safety and watch their surroundings, particularly at night.

According to an indictment issued last Wednesday, Hanson, 59, called the county’s customer service line a week before Trump was indicted, on Aug. 6, and left his first threatening and expletive-filled voicemail directed at Labat. According to the indictment, the voicemail said, “If you think you gonna take a mugshot of my President Donald Trump and it’s gonna be ok, you gonna find out that after you take that mugshot, some bad (expletive) probably gonna happen to you,” The voicemail also said, “I’m warning you right now before you (expletive) up your life and get hurt real bad,” “whether you got a (expletive) badge or not ain’t gonna help you none” and “you gonna get (expletive) up you keep (expletive) with my president.”

Authorities said Hanson later that day called the customer service line again and targeted Willis. The voicemail advised her to “watch it when you’re going to the car at night, when you’re going into your house, watch everywhere that you’re going.” It went on to say, “I would be very afraid if I were you because you can’t be around people all the time that are going to protect you,” “there’s gonna be moments when you’re gonna be vulnerable,” “when you charge Trump on that fourth indictment, anytime you’re alone, be looking over your shoulder” and” what you put out there, (expletive) comes back at you ten times harder, and don’t ever forget it.”

Hanson was subsequently arrested after the indictment was unsealed and appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Huntsville. He was released on a $5,000 appearance bond, with conditions.

U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan emphasized in a press release that making interstate threats to physically harm prosecutors and law enforcement officers is a serious offense that can interfere with the administration of justice and intimidate those who are duty-bound to protect citizens’ rights. Such threats undermine the foundation of society.

District Attorney Fani Willis and Sheriff Patrick Labat have both faced threats due to their roles in pursuing charges against former President Donald Trump and others in connection with an alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Labat expressed his commitment to serving the citizens of Fulton County with integrity and thanked the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in handling the case. Willis’s office did not provide a comment regarding the indictment of Hanson.