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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Six Years for Threatening|to Kill Federal Judges

LAS VEGAS (CN) - A Nevada man was sentenced Tuesday to 75 months in federal prison for threatening to kill two judges and blow up federal courtrooms in Las Vegas.

Clifford James Shuett, 60, pleaded guilty in December 2014 to threatening to kill or cause damage by explosive.

Schuett entered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Las Vegas on June 3, 2014 and said he had placed explosives under the desks of two federal judges and in courtrooms inside the Lloyd George Federal Courthouse.

He was detained while courthouse security and the U.S. marshals searched the courthouse and found no explosives.

Schuett said he wanted to use explosives to kill one federal judge for sentencing him to prison in a previous case and to kill another judge for refusing to take his case, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden said.

Schuett also threatened to shoot to death the judge who sent him to prison.

After he was arrested, Schuett spoke with a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective. After being read his Miranda rights, an FBI agent said in an affidavit, Shuett told the detective: "I am threatening to blow up two federal judges. I want to blow up [U.S. District Judge Roger L. Hunt] because he sent me to prison. [U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan] turned down my court case."

The FBI agent said Schuett told the detective: "I placed two bombs in their courtrooms, which will explode at noon tomorrow."

Schuett also told the detective: "If I get out of county jail, I will shoot a federal judge. I'll go after [Hunt] first," the FBI agent said.

Schuett in March 2010 was convicted and sentenced to 42 months in prison and 3 years supervised release for threatening to blow up Nellis Air Force Base, Bodgen said.

Judge Hunt sentenced him.

After his release from prison, Bogden said, Schuett did not report to his probation officer. Because he did not report, Hunt revoked Schuett's supervised release and sentenced him to another year in prison in June 2013.

U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Natalie Collins did not return a call seeking comment.

Schuett attorney Rebecca Levy was not immediately available for comment.

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