Cops: Man threatened to rape NYC politician, kill gay police

NEW YORK – Authorities say a man threatened to rape the New York City Council speaker, kill her family and kill all the city’s gay police officers.

Twenty-six-year-old Daniel Silvera was arraigned Tuesday in Manhattan criminal court on charges including aggravated harassment as a hate crime.

The Daily News (http://nydn.us/2w9UEe2 ) reports that the threats were made in emails sent July 28 to City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and two police officers who serve in LGBT outreach positions. The threats indicated that the sender knew where Mark-Viverito lived.

Silvera is represented by The Legal Aid Society, which declined to comment Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for Mark-Viverito thanked prosecutors and said the “violent, dangerous threats” are “deeply disturbing.”

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Information from: Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com