A Twin Falls man threatened to torture, kill 3 Idaho prosecutors. He was just sentenced
.jpg)
A judge sentenced a man to more federal prison time Monday for threatening to torture and kill three Idaho prosecutors.
Nathanael West, 25, of Twin Falls, was sentenced to seven years in prison for three counts of mailing threatening communications between July and August 2021, U.S. Attorney Joshua D. Hurwit said, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Idaho.
West pleaded guilty to the charges on July 26. He admitted to sending threatening letters to prosecutors through the mail, describing “in profane and graphic detail” how he would torture and kill them, according to the release. Two of the prosecutors had previously sentenced West.
U.S. Chief District Judge David C. Nye also ordered three years of supervised release once West is out of prison. Nye said the harm West caused to the prosecutors was “very real,” even if West did not carry out the threatened crimes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in the release it was “committed to prosecuting cases involving threats to public servants.”
“Threats against public officials, including law enforcement agents and prosecutors, is a growing problem, and it is unacceptable,” Hurwit said. “It is our privilege to seek justice for the victims in this case who, through their work, do so much to protect our communities throughout Idaho.”
West sent the letters from the Idaho Department of Correction. He is in prison, and court records show that he was convicted in Ada County in 2019 for one felony count of intimidating a witness and two felony counts of threatening state elected officials.
West’s 84-month sentence will begin once he has finished serving his current time. IDOC records show that won’t be till 2024.
