A federal jury has convicted Rigoberto Albizar Martinez, 57, Tampa, of threatening to destroy a building using an explosive, United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced. Martinez faces up to 10 years in federal prison, with a sentencing date yet to be scheduled.
According to court documents, on May 1, 2024, Martinez called the Tampa district office of a U.S. House Representative and left a threatening voicemail. The message was laced with profanity, racist language, and explicit threats, including a direct statement that he intended to plant a bomb in the congressmember’s office.
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“I’m going to plant a bomb in your office. It’s a threat,” Martinez said in the voicemail, according to a transcript translated from Spanish. He continued with a tirade against “Democrat sons of b——,” “pro-Palestinians,” and individuals affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement, using vulgar and racist slurs.
Federal agents traced the threatening call to Martinez, as he had left his phone number in the voicemail. Caller ID from the Representative’s office also confirmed the number matched. When approached by investigators, Martinez admitted to making the threat and the statement about planting a bomb.
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This is not Martinez’s first run-in with federal authorities. In 2021, he admitted to leaving a similarly threatening voicemail for another U.S. congressmember, warning them to “be careful with the package that you will receive in your mailbox.”
The case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police – Threat Assessment Section and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joe Wheeler III.
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