Las Vegas Sun

April 26, 2024

Man gets up to 4 years in prison for threat to kill Heller

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Richard Holley

A 62-year-old man who left a note at Sen. Dean Heller's office in Las Vegas threatening to kill the Nevada Republican has been sentenced to up to four years in prison.

Richard Brent Holley initially was charged in August with extortion, burglary and intimidating a public officer but pleaded guilty to a lone extortion count as part of a plea deal.

U.S. District Judge Douglas Smith sentenced him on Monday to 19 to 48 months behind bars.

Prosecutors say Holley left a note in July threatening to kill Heller because of his vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He was arrested after police tracked his handwriting on a 2004 police report and family members identified him on security video.

Holley's lawyer said he suffers from health problems and also cared at home for his wife with severe ailments.