Alabama man indicted for threatening Fulton County DA, sheriff in Trump case

ATLANTA — A federal grand jury has indicted an Alabama man on charges of threatening Fulton County District Attorney Fanni Willis and Fulton Sheriff Patrick Labat because of their roles in the investigation of former President Trump.

Arthur Ray Hanson II, 59, of Huntsville, Ala., is accused of calling the Fulton County Government customer services line twice on Aug. 6 and leaving voice mails threatening violence against the two officials. Hanson made an initial appearance in federal court in Huntsville on Monday and will be arraigned Nov. 13 on charges of transmitting interstate threats.

“Sending interstate threats to physically harm prosecutors and law enforcement officers is a vile threat intended to interfere with the administration of justice and intimidate individuals who accept a solemn duty to protect and safeguard the rights of citizens,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan said. “Our office will labor tirelessly with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to help ensure that law enforcement officials are free to serve our communities without the threat of physical attack.”

Hanson was indicted on Oct. 25. The case is being investigated by the FBI.

Willis assembled a special purpose grand jury in January of last year as part of an investigation into alleged attempts by Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

After the panel delivered a report recommending indictments in the case, Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted in August on racketeering charges for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to have Trump declared the winner of Georgia’s 16 electoral votes even though Democrat Joe Biden had carried the Peach State.

Labat oversaw the formal arrest of Trump and the taking of a mugshot of the former president at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.