A man from suburban Chicago has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for making threats against employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local law enforcement officers. Darren D. Walton, 31, of Midlothian, Illinois, made over 100 threatening phone calls to FEMA after filing a disaster assistance application related to alleged vehicle damage from flooding in 2023.
Walton’s calls included threats of violence and mass shootings directed at FEMA employees. In one call, he warned a FEMA employee about a potential “mass shooting” and expressed his willingness to smile in court if he carried out such acts.
After FEMA reported these threats to local authorities, the Midlothian Police Department conducted a welfare check at Walton’s residence. Following this check, Walton escalated his threats to include police officers, explicitly stating his intention to kill multiple officers.
Earlier this year, Walton pleaded guilty to transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger handed down the two-year sentence during a hearing in Chicago federal court.
The sentencing was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Federal Protective Service-Region 5 with assistance from the Midlothian Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Rosenbloom noted in the sentencing memorandum that Walton’s threats were terrifying for the public servants at FEMA who were simply performing their duties.
