Philly Dem sentenced to 10 months in prison over threat to kill, 'skin alive' pro-Trump poll watcher

A Democrat man in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been sentenced to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $5,000 in fines after being convicted of threatening to kill a pro-Trump Pennsylvania poll watcher. He will also need to serve one year of supervised release.

According to the US Department of Justice, John Courtney Pollard, 63, was sentenced on Tuesday by Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon, who ordered Pollard to serve 10 months in prison. In the lead-up to the 2024 election on September 6, 2024, Pollard sent a text message to the victim, who was also the Regional Election Integrity Director. The first message said that he was "interested in being a poll watcher." 

However, after the victim did not respond in a few minutes, Pollard sent several threats, including: 

• "I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”
• “Your days are numbered, B*TCH!”
• “GONNA F*CKING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F*CKING TOILET PAPER, YOU F*CKING KKK*NT!”

“Among the FBI’s highest priorities is protecting the freedom and integrity of our election system,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec. “Threatening those tasked with upholding this process by weaponizing fear carries very real consequences. Our country relies on free and fair elections, and the FBI and our partners will hold accountable anyone who thinks they can impact it.”

The victim in the case read an impact statement in court, which detailed what took place after Pollard sent the threats. Pollard's “threatening texts began a year-long ordeal filled with fear and constant vigilance” for the victim. She urged the court to “send a strong message to the country—that there is zero tolerance for making death threats against anyone, especially those serving in political or civic roles. Many of us are simply fulfilling our civic duty, yet we are becoming targets of a kind of hatred that is difficult to describe."