Louisiana Man Faces Prison for Threatening SSA Employee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Threatening Letter Results in 20-Month Sentence of Incarceration

A Louisiana man was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to sending threatening communications to an SSA employee.

According to court documents, James Gantt, age 55, received a 20-month prison sentence after he wrote and mailed a letter threatening injury to an Social Security Administration (SSA) Administrative Law Judge. The letter written on December 15, 2022, contained Gantt’s signature, and was addressed to the “Appeals Council.”

“Administrative Law Judges are vital employees of the SSA, and they perform a critical and difficult role in helping to administer SSA disability benefits to eligible applicants. Their lives should not be jeopardized, nor should their work be hindered by disgruntled persons,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the SSA. “My office continues to prioritize the safety of SSA employees. I thank our investigators for their diligent work in this matter and I thank Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Bordelon for prosecuting this case.”

Gantt, who is a resident of Alexandria, Louisiana pleaded guilty to the charge of Mailing of Threatening Communications, on February 5, 2024. On May 30, 2024, he was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release following his incarceration.