Arkansas man charged with threatening 2 members of Congress
An Arkansas man has been arrested and charged with threatening two members of Congress from Massachusetts in voicemails left at their offices, according to federal prosecutors. One message warned lawmakers to duck the next time they stood at a podium.
David Czerniak, 62, of Hatfield, Arkansas, was arrested Wednesday morning after a federal grand jury in Boston indicted him on two counts of interstate transmission of threatening communications, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
The attorney’s office did not publicly identify the two lawmakers.
The first voicemail was left at one lawmaker’s Massachusetts office on or about February 7, 2025. The suspect complained about government spending, immigration and border policies, then said the official and their family would face consequences if immigrants harmed his family or friends, according to the indictment.
“It’s called an eye for an eye. This ain’t a threat. This is called freedom of speech,” the caller said. “You took my safety and security away. I’ll do the same to you.”
A second voicemail was left at another lawmaker’s Massachusetts office on or about December 6, 2025. In that message, the suspect blamed Democrats for endangering Americans and warned of retaliation if an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent or another federal agent was hurt.
“You better watch your back. It’s coming. It’s coming to all you guys,” the caller said, according to the indictment.
The message then referenced Timothy McVeigh and Charlie Kirk before warning: “Next time you people stand at a podium, you better [expletive] duck. You better watch your back, I’m telling you.”
The suspect was scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court in the Western District of Arkansas on Wednesday. Prosecutors said he would appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
The charge of interstate transmission of threatening communications carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
