The Justice Department has charged a Florida man for threatening to “call up my Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” to kill his political opponent, Republican congressional representative Anna Paulina Luna, during the 2021 election cycle.
On Thursday, authorities unsealed an indictment against 41-year-old William Robert Braddock III of St. Petersburg, Florida. The indictment alleges that on June 8, 2021, Braddock made multiple threats against Luna—referred to as Victim 1—during a phone call with another individual identified as Victim 2.
Braddock and Luna were both candidates in the 2021 Republican primary for Florida’s 13th congressional district. Victim 2 is described as an acquaintance of Luna.
In 2021, Luna had filed a petition for a permanent restraining order, stating that Braddock was stalking her and had made threats to harm her. According to reports, she received text messages where Braddock allegedly expressed a desire to “take me out.” Luna noted that others interpreted this as a death threat, saying, “I do not feel safe and I am currently in fear for my life from Mr. Braddock.”
Following the allegations, Braddock left the U.S. and was living in the Philippines but was recently deported back to the country. He made his first court appearance on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Braddock has been charged with one count of interstate transmission of a true threat to injure another person. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
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