A Maryland man pleaded guilty to threatening an LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the days following a mass shooting at a school in Tennessee earlier this year. Adam Michael Nettina, pleaded guilty in a federal court in late August to the charge of making threats transmitted by interstate communications. As part of his plea agreement, Nettina also admitted to sending other threatening messages to state delegates from Maryland and Virginia who had voiced support for the transgender community. Nettina made the threats in the aftermath of the March 27, 2023, shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, that left six people dead including three nine-year-old students. The deceased shooter, Aiden Hale, reportedly identified as transgender. Erek L. Barron, US Attorney for the District of Maryland, said in a statement “You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you.” According to court documents, Nettina left a voicemail at the victimized advocacy group with the threats, “We’ll cut your throats, we’ll put a bullet in your head” and “You’re going to kill us? We’re going to kill you ten times more in full.” He admitted leaving the voicemail with the intent that it would be viewed by the group as a threat. Nettina admitted he targeted the group because of the actual and perceived sexual and gender identity of the workers and people supported by the group. As per the court decision, he faces a up to five years in a federal prison.
