Westminster Man Allegedly Made Death Threat Against House Member

A federal grand jury indicted a Westminster man on Wednesday for allegedly threatening a member of Congress, prosecutors said.

Darryl Albert Varnum, 42, was arrested July 8 on a federal criminal complaint. On July 10, U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner ordered he complete a 28-day inpatient drug rehabilitation program at the Shoemaker Center in Sykesville.

“We take these types of violent threats extremely seriously," U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said. "The investigation began immediately upon learning of the threats."

According to the indictment, on June 26, Varnum allegedly threatened to murder a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Prosecutors did not identify the target of Varnum's alleged threat.

If convicted, Varnum would face up to 10 years in federal prison.

In testimony Tuesday, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund said threats against members of Congress are on pace to exceed those in the 2018 fiscal year, The Hill reports.