A Colorado man has pleaded guilty to making violent threats against a man in Cayuga County, including sending a text saying he would “drink your blood from the chalice that I will make out of your heart.”
Jerry Gordon, 56, entered his guilty plea on Friday in federal court to one count of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. The charge stems from a series of graphic text messages he sent to a resident of Aurora, New York, in April 2025.
According to federal prosecutors, Gordon sent four threatening messages between April 22 and April 25. He warned the victim to “get his affairs in order” by April 25, the same day Gordon flew from Colorado to Syracuse. He was arrested by FBI agents at the airport as he got off the plane.
“This was a vile and direct threat to kill one of our citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, crediting the swift collaboration of local, state, and federal law enforcement for intercepting the threat before it could escalate.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli said the case underscores the agency’s commitment to protecting citizens from violence. “We will swiftly investigate and intercept anyone who threatens our communities with disturbing acts of violence,” he said.
Gordon is scheduled to be sentenced on November 24, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe. He faces:
- Up to 5 years in prison
- A fine of up to $250,000
- Up to 3 years of supervised release
The case was investigated by the FBI, with help from the New York State Police, Syracuse Airport Authority Police, Syracuse Police, Cornell Police, Tompkins and Oneida County Sheriff’s Offices, U.S. Marshals, Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown is prosecuting the case.
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 news@fingerlakes1.com.