BARNESVILLE MAN TO FED PRISON FOR THREATENING THE PRESIDENT

A Georgia man was sentenced to prison for threatening to kill the President of the United States and blow up the White House, following an investigation that included multiple death threats issued against local judges, law enforcement and a threat letter containing a white powdery substance sent to the U.S. Courthouse in Macon.

 

Travis Ball, 56, of Barnesville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 33 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $7,500 fine by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Nov. 30 after he previously pleaded guilty to threats against the President. There is no parole in the federal system.

 

“Sending death threats and purported anthrax is not protected speech — it is a crime,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I applaud the investigative work by our federal and local law enforcement partners to secure justice in this case.”

 

“The sentencing in federal court of Mr. Ball is commensurate with the wasted resources and concern generated by his hate-filled hoax anthrax letter campaign,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “While Mr. Ball’s criminal conduct clearly illustrates his lack of concern and compassion for others, it also illustrates an unwillingness to be rehabilitated.”

 

“The U.S. Secret Service works closely with law enforcement and criminal justice partners at every level to investigate threats against our protectees,” said U.S. Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Clint Bush with the Albany, Georgia, Resident Office. “Our zero-fail mission requires a tireless dedication from thousands of agents and investigators across the country to ensure the nation’s highest elected officials are protected from criminals like Travis Ball. Those who perpetrate these crimes must be held accountable for their actions, and we are thankful for the strong partnership we enjoy with the Department of Justice.”

 

According to court documents and other evidence, Ball sent a series of letters using another individual’s name as an alias to a variety of local and county government offices and officials, including judges with the Superior Court of Jones County, Georgia, and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office in March 2021. On March 23, 2021, a threat letter signed with the same name and the same return address was received at the U.S. District Courthouse for the Middle District of Georgia, which contained a white powdery substance. At that point, federal law enforcement agencies, including FBI, began investigating the source of the letters and identified Ball as the suspected author.