Inmate Pleads Guilty to Threatening Federal Judge in East Texas

MARSHALL, TX—U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 34-year-old Texas prisoner has pleaded guilty to threatening a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas. 

PATRICK NEIL WOMACK pleaded guilty on May 14, 2009, to mailing a threatening communication.  The plea hearing was held before U.S. Magistrate Judge Chad Everingham.

According to information presented in court, on June 21, 2007, Womack, originally from Liberty, TX, was an inmate serving time in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Clement Unit in Amarillo when he mailed a threatening letter to U.S. District Judge David J. Folsom in Texarkana, TX.  In the letter, Womack stated that he was about to escape from the Texas state prison system and threatened to kill Judge Folsom.  Womack was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 1, 2008, and charged with sending the threatening letter.

Womack faces up to 10 years in federal prison.  A sentencing date has not been set.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise O. Simpson.

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