On Monday, the Justice Department unsealed criminal charges against Igor Lira, 40, a Slovakia national, for allegedly transmitting a threat in interstate or international commerce containing a threat to injure. Lira made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland Monday after he was extradited from Germany.
Per the United States Attorney’s Office (District of Maryland): According to the indictment, on August 10, 2022, the defendant threatened a senior investigator from the National Institutes of Health, by transmitting the following: “You f*cking animal abuser, I’ll find and kill you, b*tch. I’ll drill your f*cking brain off, and I’ll film it, so everyone can watch. You don’t deserve anything else. Your days are counted.”
If convicted, Lira faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. The individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.