Amherst Man Charged With Threatening Lawmakers Poses Threat: Feds

CONCORD, NH – A 33-year-old Amherst man who was charged last month with threatening to hang members of Congress who did not back President Donald Trump has been ordered to remain in custody after being determined a risk to his community, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire said on Thursday.

Ryder Winegar was arrested on Jan. 11 and charged after authorities said that over a two-day period in December, he called the offices of six members of Congress and left threatening voicemails, U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire Scott Murray said. In a 33-page decision issued Thursday, a judge determined that Winegar poses a flight risk and a risk and ordered that he be detained.

In the voicemails to the members of Congress, authorities maintain that Winegar identified himself by name or by his phone number. In the messages, he threatened to hang the lawmakers if they do not get behind Trump, authorities said.

In one message, Winegar is said to have left a message indicating, “I got some advice for you. Here’s the advice, Donald Trump is your president. If you don’t get behind him, we’re going to hang you until you die,” Murray said.

According to the Union-Leader, the judge determined that the fact Winegar fled to Brazil after he was questioned by Capitol police made him a threat to do so again. The flight risk, in addition to his access to guns, also led to her decision to deny him bail, the report said. The judge also determined that the voicemails left for the members of Congress — along with an email sent to a New Hampshire lawmaker — exhibited that Winegar could point to an “increasing level of unrestrained, impulsive, threatening behavior.”

After Winegar fled to Brazil, his wife told police that she was unsure of when her husband would return, but indicated he could move there permanently once the couple's Amherst home sold, the report said. Winegar remained in Brazil for three weeks until he turned himself into police.

No court date has been determined for Winegar, who was arraigned in Boston after his arrest.