COEUR D’ALENE, ID – A convicted career offender will serve an additional eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to mailing graphic threats to a federal judge and a federal prosecutor while already incarcerated for prior offenses.
Nathanael Michael West, 28, was sentenced on July 31 to 96 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for four federal charges tied to threats he made from behind bars in early 2023. The new sentence will be served consecutively to two prior federal convictions from 2020 and 2022, both involving similar conduct.
According to court records, West was already serving a state sentence for burglary when he mailed a threatening letter in February 2023 to Assistant U.S. Attorney David Robins, the prosecutor who handled two of West’s federal cases. The letter included vivid threats describing plans to kidnap, torture, mutilate, and kill Robins.
Just two weeks later, West sent another letter to Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye, who had sentenced West in October 2022. That letter also contained detailed threats to murder the judge.
A federal grand jury indicted West in August 2024 on four counts, including mailing threatening communications and threats to federal law enforcement and judicial officers with intent to retaliate. He pleaded guilty to all charges on July 31.
The threats were described by federal officials as serious, violent, and a direct challenge to the authority of the justice system.
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Key Points
- Nathanael Michael West received 96 months in federal prison for threats made to a judge and prosecutor
- He mailed graphic threats while serving a state sentence for burglary in Idaho
- The new sentence will run consecutively to prior federal convictions for similar offenses
