Man charged with threatening to kill congressman’s kids

FORT PIERCE, Fla. – A federal grand jury has indicted a Florida man on charges that he threatened to kill the children of U.S. Rep. Brian Mast because he was upset about President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

Laurence Key was indicted Thursday on charges of communication of a threat to kidnap or injure a person. The 68-year-old was arrested in June after an intern said he called the Florida congressman’s office in Washington and threatened to kidnap and kill Mast’s three young children because of policies about immigrant children being separated from their parents.

Authorities say Key had contacted Mast’s office 478 times before.

He could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

TC Palm reports Key denied the charges and invoked his right to remain silent.