A Florida dentist has pleaded guilty to sending more than 100 violent threats to public figures, including an election official, over a span of several years. Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, admitted to using various electronic platforms to send threats to multiple victims between 2019 and 2024.
According to court documents, Kantwill’s campaign of harassment began in September 2019 and continued through July 2020. During this time, he sent threatening messages via Facebook, Instagram, email, and text to public figures based on their political commentary. Among the targeted individuals were an author, a religious leader, and a television personality. Kantwill also sent at least seven additional threats from April 2022 to April 2024, including a message to an election official in February 2024.
In total, Kantwill’s threats spanned over several years and targeted more than 40 individuals, some of whom were public servants. His actions included using social media platforms to threaten public figures with violence, which the Justice Department has condemned as an attack on both individual safety and democratic institutions.
Accountability for Threatening Election Officials
Kantwill’s guilty plea to four counts of interstate transmission of a threat comes as part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to address the increasing number of threats directed at election workers. In recent years, there has been a rise in threats of violence against those involved in administering elections, leading the Department of Justice to create the Election Threats Task Force in 2021. The task force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting those who threaten public servants, including election officials, in a bid to intimidate them and disrupt the electoral process.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the importance of holding those responsible for such threats accountable: “With this plea, the Justice Department is ensuring that Richard Kantwill faces accountability for targeting an election official and other public figures with over 100 heinous threats. Today’s action is another warning that the Justice Department will not stand for threats of violence that endanger people’s safety and democracy.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray also reiterated the FBI’s commitment to pursuing individuals who use electronic communications to instill fear. “Using electronic communications to threaten victims with violence is illegal, and the FBI will continue to pursue those who seek to cause fear and terror through such actions,” said Wray.
Penalties and Next Steps
Kantwill faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the four counts of interstate transmission of a threat. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date, where a federal district court judge will determine the sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. The FBI is continuing to investigate the case.
Election Threats Task Force
The case is part of the Election Threats Task Force, which was formed by Attorney General Garland and launched in June 2021. The task force was created to combat threats of violence against election workers, ensuring that individuals involved in elections can carry out their duties without fear of intimidation or harm. The task force works closely with state and local law enforcement, as well as U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide, to investigate and prosecute threats against election officials and workers.
Three years after its establishment, the task force remains committed to addressing the rising threat of violence targeting public servants, particularly in the context of the electoral process.
Ongoing Efforts to Combat Election Threats
The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force continues to play a crucial role in safeguarding democracy by ensuring that election workers, whether elected, appointed, or volunteer, can perform their jobs without being subjected to threats or harassment. The task force will continue its work, partnering with federal and local law enforcement agencies to ensure that individuals who threaten election workers are held accountable for their actions.
