(KTNV) — A Nevada man who sent death threats to elected officials was sentenced to serve six to 15 years in prison, Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced Monday.
Matthew Carter was found guilty in September of three counts of aggravated stalking, a felony, and one count of misdemeanor harassment. His sentence was handed down on Oct. 12 by Judge Egan Walker, Ford said.
Prosecutors say Carter sent multiple racist and threatening messages to elected officials in the leadup to and aftermath of the 2020 general election, including:
- U.S. Attorney Jason Frierson (previously speaker of the Nevada Assembly)
- State Treasurer Zach Conine
- Gov. Steve Sisolak's chief of staff, Yvanna Cancela (previously a state senator)
- Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D-9th District)
- Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D-29th District)
- Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D-5th District)
Prosecutors say Carter's messages to elected officials "included support for demonstrably fake conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was stolen." He cited the passage of expanded mail-in voting ahead of the election as a reason for his promises of violence, which included racial slurs and references toward lynching, Ford stated.
"Carter's actions were repugnant and beyond the pale, and my office will never tolerate such behavior," Ford stated in his announcement of the sentencing. "Political disagreement is not an excuse for harassment or threatening the lives of elected officials. We must be better than this. As long as I am attorney general, my office will prosecute actions such as this to the fullest extent of the law."
