Caller gets 2 years in prison for threats left for Boozman

FORT SMITH -- A Sebastian County man was sentenced Thursday in federal court to two years in prison for making threatening phone calls to Arkansas' U.S. Sen. John Boozman's Washington, D.C., office last Memorial Day weekend.

In sentencing Larry Joe Nixon, 66, U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes III ordered that Nixon get treatment in prison and after his release for mental health problems and alcohol abuse. Nixon's attorney and the court's probation office said those problems prevented Nixon from stopping himself from making the phone calls.

Nixon said in a brief statement during the hearing that he regretted having broken the law.

Federal public defender James Pierce asked Holmes for leniency for his client, arguing that Nixon was drunk at the time he made the calls. Boozman's offices were closed when Nixon called, and Nixon never actually spoke to a person, Pierce said.

Holmes responded that being drunk was no excuse for Nixon's conduct. And even though it's unlikely Boozman ever listened to the 25 profanity-laced voice mails, the person who eventually listened to them probably was frightened by their content. Eleven of the voice mails contained threats.

Holmes said if he received a voice mail at home from someone who was threatening to kill him, he would take it seriously.

Two of the threatening voice mails that Nixon left were quoted in the plea agreement that he signed with the government in November.

In one, Nixon said, in part: '"I want to kill every g*** one of you. I'd just fing love it, I'd sleep better at night, my mind would start easing up, you know, a little bit."'

When FBI agents traced the phone call and contacted Nixon a few days later, according to court records, Nixon said he meant every word in the voice mails but regretted using bad language.

Holmes said during Thursday's hearing that he was concerned because Nixon told officials at one point that he had no intention of quitting drinking.

NW News on 03/13/2015

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