Federal Charges Filed In Montco Democratic HQ Shooting

NORRISTOWN, PA — The man who police say fired shots into the Montgomery County Democratic Party offices after the riots at the U.S. Capitol now faces federal charges.

Anthony Francis Nero, 48, of Eagleville, faces counts of sending threatening communications and cyberstalking, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. The charges carry a maximum of 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

"With this stolen election and Coup d'etat, violence is the only language you bloodsuckers understand," Nero wrote in part of an email sent the day after the riots, which left five dead, police said.

The shooting occurred weeks later, hours before President Joe Biden's inauguration, and in the midst of a series of threats of violence and election-related unrest in Pennsylvania and around the nation.

“Law enforcement at the federal, state and local level take terroristic threats very seriously, and we are partnering together to make sure all communities are safe from this kind of threat and criminal behavior,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement.

U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said that Nero had endangered the lives of "anyone who might have been in the vicinity."

The incident occurred at 21 E. Airy St. between 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 19 and 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 20. It was discovered by the committee's executive director, Brian Levy, when he was checking mail around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Levy found three bullet holes in the office's front window. Nero used a .45-caliber handgun to fire the shots, police said.

Authorities, including the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, and Montgomery County Detectives, said they were able to track Nero down by tracing the IP address used to send the threatening email.

A search of Nero's vehicle resulted in the recovery of a .45 valiber Springfield Armory firearm.

Nero faces numerous other charges at the county level, including terrorism, terroristic threats, carrying a firearm without a license, and reckless endangerment.