A 19-year-old Maryland man has pleaded guilty to making several threatening statements he timed with the March for Our Lives demonstrations in Washington.
Nicholas Bukoski, of Crofton, likely faces somewhere between 10 to 16 months in prison and a fine of up to $55,000, according to an announcement from the U.S. attorney’s office in D.C.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 15.
{mosads}Government evidence indicates that Bukoski sent three threatening messages on March 24, the day of the pro-gun control event organized by supporters of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting in February.
Bukoski sent one to Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and another to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) via Instagram direct message, according to court documents.
The third he sent to the Metropolitan Police Department’s text tip line.
“I am intending to send the message that gun control, bomb control, or any other kind of weapons control will not stop attacks, it is an issue of the heart,” he wrote to the tip line, according to court documents.
“My heart is messed up and evil, and part of me wants to see people suffer, goddammit,” Bukoski said. “Anyway, good luck and Godspeed finding my presents. This will be my only message.”