American in Thailand pleads guilty to threatening to kill US Senator Thom Tillis

What set him off? Too many unsolicited political emails.

Eric Charles Welton, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of threatening a federal official on account of his duties, a news release from US Department of Justice announced.

Welton, who will be sentenced in July, faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

Justice Department officials said Welton made multiple harassing and intimidating phone calls to the offices of Republican elected officials and party organisers in the United States.

In September 2021, he spoke to a member of Tillis’ staff based in North Carolina’s Raleigh and threatened to “show up” and “put a bullet through each of [their heads]”. He also threatened to “mow down” the “whole [expletive] state” and “find the person who emailed him and cut off their hands,” officials said.