Gwinnett County Man Arrested for Threatening U.S. Senators

BETWEEN, GA. — A Gwinnett County man has been indicted on federal charges after allegedly leaving violent threats targeting two sitting U.S. senators and their families, federal prosecutors announced Monday.

     Robert Davis Forney, 25, of Duluth, Georgia, was arraigned in federal court in Atlanta after a grand jury indicted him on two counts of communicating threats in interstate commerce. According to court documents, Forney is accused of calling the office of Texas Senator Ted Cruz in January and leaving voicemails that threatened sexual violence against Senator Cruz and his family. The following day, Forney allegedly left a similar voicemail threatening sexual violence against Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer.

     The indictment was handed down by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia on June 10, 2025. Forney’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray, with the investigation led by the FBI and the United States Capitol Police.

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

     FBI Special Agent Paul Brown, based in Atlanta, added, “There is no place for political violence or threats of violence in the United States. The FBI takes all threats against public officials extremely seriously and will use every resource available to hold offenders accountable”. 

     The case comes amid heightened national concern over threats and violence targeting elected officials. Federal authorities have cited a rise in such incidents, prompting initiatives like “Operation Take Back America,” which aims to combat violent crime and protect public servants.

If convicted, Forney faces the possibility of federal prison time. As of Monday, a federal public defender had been assigned to his case, but no comment has been made regarding the charges.

     The investigation remains active, with authorities emphasizing that all threats against public officials will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.