EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) — An Ohio man was recently sentenced after he left a “racist rant” voicemail directed at the Third Judicial District Attorney Gerald Byers a year ago, the DA’s Office announced in a news release sent Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Donald Walter Fowler pled guilty on June 17 to the offense of communicating interstate threats. He was sentenced to three years of supervised probation and a $1,000 fine, according to the DA’s Office.
The DA’s Office said Fowler left the voicemail on the DA’s message center on Oct. 26, 2023.
According to the DA’s office, Fowler used racist and threatening language directed at Byers and his family’s safety, “There should be a noose in your future,” Fowler said.
In the two-minute message, Fowler also used the n-word and said “disparaging” comments about the police and Byer’s African American heritage, according to the DA’s office.
According to the DA Investigator’s report, the reason for the call was initiated when the body camera footage of Teresa Gomez, who was shot and killed by former Las Cruces Police Officer Felipe Hernandez, was released by LCPD.