Amarillo, TX – A California woman who admitted to sending a threatening message to a federal judge in Texas has been sentenced to the statutory maximum prison term, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Dolly Patterson pleaded guilty to transmitting an interstate threat after acknowledging that she sent an online message on April 16, 2023, targeting a U.S. District Judge based in Amarillo. Using a court “Contact Us” form, Patterson wrote: “Tell that anti-abortion judge he better watch his back . . . for the rest of his life!”
California Woman Threatens Texas Judge
Prosecutors said Patterson intended the communication to be taken as a genuine threat. In court, she admitted that the statement constituted a true threat under federal law.
“The safety of our federal judiciary is paramount,” Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson said in a statement. “Threats of violence to our judges are becoming all too common—whether made online or in person. Such threats are illegal and will be prosecuted.”
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, which is tasked with protecting federal judges nationwide.
A single online message has now left Patterson facing the full weight of federal prison.
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