Man Who Threatened Pai's Family Over Net Neutrality Sentenced to 20 Months

a DOJ release Friday. Markara Man, of Norwalk, California, sent three emails to Pai in 2017 that included threats to kill Pai’s children, lists of Arlington schools, and a picture of Pai and his family. Man confessed after being confronted by the FBI, but subsequently wiped data from a cellphone in what prosecutors said was an attempt to destroy evidence. Man will get credit for time served, and after the 20 months be on supervised release for three years and barred from possessing or using a computer without the permission of his parole officer. Court filings show that Man had sought a lighter sentence, arguing that he was mentally ill at the time of the incident and that he had no actual plans to carry out his threat. “Mr. Man committed this crime as a call for help. Now that he is diagnosed and treated it is highly unlikely he will reoffend,” said a sentencing filing (in Pacer) from Man’s attorney Edward Robinson. The sentencing documents require Man to serve his time in a facility where he can receive mental health treatment, but the court denied the defense’s request for lighter sentencing. The FCC didn’t comment. “Threatening to actually kill a federal official’s family because of a disagreement over policy is not only inexcusable, it is criminal,” said U.S. Attorney-Eastern District of Virginia Zachary Terwilliger in the release. “This prosecution shows not only that we take criminal threats seriously, but also that online threats of violence have real world consequences."