Minnetonka man found guilty of threatening federal judges, elected officials
A 68-year-old Minnetonka, Minnesota, man was found guilty Thursday of threatening to murder U.S. judges and other elected officials.
Jeffrey Peterson was found guilty on 10 counts of threatening to murder the officials and 10 counts of interstate transmission of threats to injure.
Court documents say the U.S. Marshals Service in Maryland received a report in July 2025 regarding threatening comments about a judge. Peterson used screen names of mass shooters, including the name of the gunman who killed students at Sandy Hook Elementary School and the man who killed movie-goers in Aurora, Colorado.
The Marshals traced the comments back to Peterson's Minnetonka address. In all, he threatened to murder eight federal judges, including an associate Supreme Court justice and four U.S. officials, the Department of Justice says.
"My office has no tolerance for political violence and threats of political violence," said U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen. "We will prosecute — to the fullest extent of the law — those who intimidate or threaten public servants who are just doing their jobs."
Peterson's sentencing date has yet to be scheduled. He is one of 126 people charged last year or making threats to federal and top state officials, according to a CBS News analysis.
