An Alaska man who was apparently struggling to pay his rent was arrested and charged over threats to kidnap a US senator, cut “the flesh off” her body and wear her skin ‘as clothes.’
Arther Graham, 46, threatened to murder the unidentified female senator on a web form submission while claiming he was about to be evicted, federal officials said Wednesday.
“Well, it’s after business hours and my landlady hasn’t delivered the eviction papers yet like she promised,” reads the bizarre message Graham allegedly sent at the end of September.
“She DID tell me to start looking somewhere else to live, so now I’m legally obligated to do that.”
“I’m in the dark here,” the message continued. “Until I get new information [Senator], my plan is ‘ima’ hunt you down, cut the flesh off your body and wear your skin like clothes.
“I’ll live inside of YOU [Senator]. I may as well because I ain’t got nowhere else to live.
“The bank is taking my parents’ house. When I inherit my mom’s municipal bonds, I’m going to use [them] as kindling to start my homeless-person campfire, when I inevitably become a homeless person like I was when I was a little boy.
“Also I’m gonna cut off your skin and wear it as clothes,” it concludes. “Oops, I said that already. Someone call the police.”
A federal indictment does not specify the lawmaker to whom Graham sent his message. Alaska is represented in the Senate by Republicans Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan.
Federal officials said congressional staff members reported receiving a threatening message to the FBI and Capitol Police on Oct. 2.
A subpoena for the email listed in the submission form eventually led investigators to Graham, who had allegedly used a different phone number and address — but signed the message with his full name, according to NBC News.
FBI agents then interviewed Graham at his home in Kenai, Alaska, where he allegedly admitted to emailing the senator.
He also allegedly told the agents he was committing a federal crime by sending the message.
Graham was arrested Oct. 30 and charged with using interstate communications to threaten to kidnap and injure. He was due to appear in federal court later Friday.
If convicted, Graham could be imprisoned for up to five years.