Texas woman faces sentencing for threats against judge in Trump’s Jan. 6 case

By Fatma Zehra Solmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) – Even after US President Donald Trump issued controversial pardons for nearly 1,600 Capitol rioters on Jan. 20, the day he took office, one case tied to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot remains unresolved, with a Texas woman still facing the possibility of imprisonment.

A federal judge in Texas has scheduled Abigail Shry’s sentencing for May 5, CBS news reported.

The 44-year-old pleaded guilty in November to making a vulgar, racist, and violent threat in 2023 against the judge overseeing a case accusing Trump of trying to overturn the 2020 election results. The case was dismissed last November after Trump was elected to return to the White House.

Prosecutors allege that Shry called US District Judge Tanya Chutkan’s office from Alvin, Texas, just hours after Chutkan was assigned to Trump’s election-related case. According to the Justice Department, she left a voicemail in which she "threatened to kill anyone who went after former President Trump."

Additionally, Shry left a voicemail for a congresswoman, saying: "If President Trump doesn't get elected in 2024, we are coming to kill you, so tread lightly."

When authorities visited her residence on Aug. 8, 2023, she admitted to making the call but insisted she had no plans to act unless the congresswoman came to her city, stating: "We need to worry."

During questioning by federal agents, Shry continued voicing her anger toward Democrats and "explained her hate for the government," as noted in testimony from a May 2024 hearing.

After being assigned Trump’s Jan. 6 case, Chutkan was frequently seen with security protecting her in Washington.

Prosecutors, witnesses, and judges involved in Jan. 6 cases have faced repeated threats and harassment, with some judges emphasizing the growing number of violent threats during sentencing hearings.

Although Shry’s sentencing has been postponed multiple times, she still faces the potential of prison. Her attorney has declined to comment on what sentence she will seek.

US Capitol Police and news reports indicate that threats against federal officials have surged since Jan. 6, with US Capitol Police cases rising from 6,955 in 2019 to 9,474 in 2024, and US Marshals Service investigations nearly tripling from 2019 to 2023.