Duluth man faces federal charges for threats against senators

Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia

Robert Davis Forney, a 25-year-old resident of Duluth, Georgia, was arraigned on federal charges for allegedly making threats in interstate commerce. The arraignment took place before a United States Magistrate Judge following an indictment by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia on June 10, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg commented on the seriousness of the allegations: “Threatening our elected officials and their families is an act of violence that undermines our entire democracy. Political discourse and disagreements never justify resorting to vile attacks against our nation’s leaders.”

FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown added, “Targeting public officials with threatening messages is a serious federal crime. There is no place for political violence or threats of violence in the United States. We will not hesitate to arrest and charge others who engage in similar criminal conduct.”

According to information presented in court by U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, Forney allegedly made two phone calls on January 9, 2025, to the office of Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, leaving voicemails threatening sexual violence against both Senator Cruz and his family. The next day, Forney reportedly called Nebraska U.S. Senator Deb Fischer's office and left a similar voicemail threat.

It is important to note that an indictment only contains charges; Forney is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime. The operation utilizes resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray are leading the prosecution of this case, which is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Capitol Police.

For additional details, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or call (404) 581-6280. Further information can also be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia's website: http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.