HOUSTON, Texas –A Houston man was sentenced Friday to 16 years in federal prison for sending threats and racist and homophobic messages to Harris County officials, journalists, lawyers, and hospitals, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
Over a two-year period, the 42-year-old Jeremy James Joseph, sent more than 100 threatening emails to staff at the Kelsey Seybold Clinic, in addition to targeting local universities, judges, and councilmembers.
In one such email to a Harris County probate court judge in 2022, Joseph wrote, “I’ve bought a gun, and I will use it if I have to against any and every one of you.”
Joseph pleaded guilty on December 13 to charges of making threats. He will serve his sentence followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani condemned Joseph’s actions, stating, “His conduct breached the safety and peace of mind essential for public servants to carry out their duties effectively.”
Hamdani emphasized that his office is committed to protecting public officials from such threats, ensuring the justice system remains intact and preventing chaos.
Joseph, who represented himself during the sentencing, chose not to speak in his defense.
Court documents revealed that Joseph’s threats began in 2022 after his mother disinherited him from her will. Joseph had contested the will, hiring and firing multiple lawyers, and eventually faced a ban from the court’s electronic filing system due to his disruptive actions. He then resorted to impersonating the judge via an encrypted email account, where he continued sending threats.
In 2023, Joseph sent emails to major media outlets, including CNN and the Dallas Morning News, with alarming subject lines such as, “I have a Gun and Bombs and I’m going to kill you.”
He also claimed to have placed pipe bombs around Houston Methodist hospital.
Joseph was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.