SCRANTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an inmate at a state prison was charged yesterday by a federal grand jury in Scranton with mailing a threatenting letter to a Lancaster County Judge.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the defendant, Joshua Keziah, age 27, an inmate at the State Correctional Institution in Frackville, Schuylkill County, allegedly mailed the letter in October of 2015 from the prison to the Lancaster County Courthouse threatening to kill the President Judge.
The charge stems from an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Lancaster County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Evan Gotlob is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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