A sentencing date has been set for Joseph Morelli of Endicott, N.Y., who pleaded guilty to threatening Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene over multiple phone calls in March 2022.
An FBI investigation affirmed that Morelli made several alarming calls to Greene’s Washington D.C. office. In one recorded voicemail, he insinuated causing physical harm to the Congresswoman. In another call, Morelli challenged Greene’s promotion of violence and implied that he would show her “what violence is really about.”
While Morelli pleaded guilty to three counts earlier this year, his scheduled sentencing hit a snag due to disagreements over restitution. Rep. Greene is demanding $66,632.49 in compensation, attributing most of this amount to the installation of a fence around her Georgia residence in response to the threats. However, Morelli’s public defender contested this claim, pointing out the fence was funded by political campaign contributions more than a year after the threats. District Judge Brenda Sannes has now chosen to bifurcate Morelli’s sentencing, set for August 24, from the issue of restitution, which will be addressed in a separate hearing within the next 90 days.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].