A man accused of making death threats on Facebook against top politicians in New York and Washington has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Lawrence Mulqueen, 49, of Nanuet, is charged with threatening federal, state and local officeholders and with making the threats on an online social network.
He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Friday in White Plains.
Mulqueen is accused of threatening the lives of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Charles Schumer, Rep. Nita Lowey and members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
He could be sentenced to 15 years in prison, if convicted.
The indictment does not name the targets, but police listed the names when Mulqueen was arrested last month.
In a complaint that preceded the indictment, investigators said Mulqueen wrote on Facebook that the politicians’ “dirt nap is coming very soon.”
It also quoted him as saying, “I cannot wait to start killing the scum.”
Police said Mulqueen also stated that he wanted all of President Barack Obama’s followers dead, calling them “traitor scum.”
A defense lawyer said last week that Mulqueen may be suffering from delusions.
Mulqueen was arrested last month when his landlady complained he was harassing her. Police said she tipped them about the Facebook page, which was under a pseudonym.
A search of his apartment turned up two rifles, bayonets, ammunition, body armor, a sword and a knuckle knife, police said. Because Mulqueen had previous drunken-driving convictions, the weapons were illegal, they said.
He faces a state weapons charge in addition to the federal charges.
Mulqueen is being held without bail. No new court date was set.