A California man has been sentenced to six months of home confinement after federal authorities arrested him for making violent threats against Florida congressman Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

On Thursday, the United States Attorney's Office for North Florida announced that Eugene Huelsman, 59, of Thousand Oaks, California, received his sentence on one count of transmission of a threat in interstate commerce. The case stemmed from a threatening voice message left by Huelsman with Gaetz's office last year.

“Tell [Gaetz] to watch his back, tell him to watch his children,” Huelsman said in the Jan. 9, 2021, message, which a defense attorney said was played in court Thursday, according to Politico. "I’m gonna [expletive] kill him. ...I’m gonna put a bullet in you and I’m gonna put a bullet in one of your [expletive] kids too.”

After receiving Huelsman's phone call, Gaetz's staff reported it to the U.S. Capitol Police, who learned this was not the first violent threat made by Huelsman against a political figure. Huelsman was previously investigated by the U.S. Secret Service for making threats against a former President's family. NBC News reported that the threat was directed at Donald Trump Jr. in 2018.

Huelsman, who Politico reports served as a camera operator in Hollywood and who won five Emmy nominations for his work on NBC’s “Late Night With Conan O’Brien," was motivated to make the call due to his anger against Gaetz in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot.

Huelsman's lawyer, Curtis Fallgatter, noted that his client was "very apologetic and remorseful" for his actions and said it was Gaetz's supportiveness of the rioters that drove him into a rage.

But U.S. Attorney Jason Coody made it clear that no amount of frustration with politicians can justify threatening them with violence.

"Today’s sentence acknowledges the defendant’s repeated threats of violence and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would threaten violence against others rather than engage in lawful debate," said Coody.

"Words matter," said Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. "Everyone has the right to express their opinion, but when you harass, intimidate, and threaten violence against others, it's a federal crime that will not be tolerated."

Gaetz himself remains under federal scrutiny. Since last year, Gaetz has been under investigation for the alleged sex trafficking of underage girls, an allegation he vociferously denies.

RELATED STORIES
California