Former Tucson schoolteacher Donald Brown, who was arrested for endangering the life of Senator Wendy Rogers (R, Flagstaff), will be sentenced June 6 for the July 2022 crime.
Brown, who had initially pleaded not guilty to the terror threat charges last year, changed his plea to guilty on April 6. Due to the defendant’s age and previous lack of criminal conduct, Navajo County Superior Court Probation Officer Winifred Lincoln recommended: 2 years probation instead of jail time.
“Defendant is remorseful and intends to cooperate with community oversight. He admits to overreaching his right to free speech,” read Winifred’s May 2 speech report. .
The plea deal changes the original third-degree felony (making terrorism threats) to a fourth-degree felony (attempting to make terrorism threats) without a sentencing agreement. Navajo County Superior Court Judge Joseph Clark could sentence Brown to one-and-a-half to three years in prison.
Rodgers, through Senate spokesman Kim Quintero, said it was too early to talk about sentencing and did not want to unduly influence judges. Ms. Rogers also said her court-appointed attorney advised her not to discuss her feelings about her proposed sentencing.
Mr Rogers said he would read prepared statements at Mr Brown’s sentencing hearing.
A 59-year-old former Tucson middle school orchestra teacher sent a threatening message to a business email at a Trump-themed store known as “The Trump Store” in the Shaw Row area on Independence Day 2022. . The merchandise retailer sells MAGA and Trump-branded merchandise, hosts events with prominent pro-Trump state officials on holidays throughout the year, and acts as a social club of sorts for the former president’s supporters. play.
In the body of an email sent from the Burner account, Brown told the store owner that he and his co-conspirators were planning to camp near the store “with two AR-15s” and that they would enter the store and “shoot.” to start,” he said. according to court records. The email also named Rogers and expressed his desire to assassinate the state senator as a traitor, especially for his loyalty to Trump.
“He was threatening me behind a computer screen with very colorful, vicious and threatening language,” Rogers said in a May 11 radio interview.
The plea deal outlines that Mr. Brown will pay compensation to both Mr. Rogers and Trumped Store owners Steve Slaton and Karen McKean, but will not contact anyone who has been threatened. there is
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