Middle Village man pleads guilty to Capitol Riot threats

A Middle Village resident pleaded guilty to charges filed for threatening politicians during the January riots in Washington D.C. Eagle file photo by Rob Abruzzese

A Middle Village man charged with threatening elected officials online during the Jan. 6 riot has pleaded guilty, the U.S. District Attorney announced Monday.

Eduard Florea, 41, is facing one count each of transmitting threats to injure and possessing ammunition after having been convicted of a felony.

“With today’s guilty plea, Florea admits to threatening the life of a successful candidate for the U.S. Senate and to urging others to take up arms to unleash violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to thwart the results of the Presidential election,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis. “This Office is deeply committed to protecting our democratic institutions and to using all available tools to preserve the public safety, uphold the rule of law and support the peaceful transfer of power.”

On Jan. 5, Florea posted on Parler, a communication app often utilized by members of the far right, that people needed to go to the Capitol armed and ready to “take back Washington.”

“[Raphael] Warnock is going to have a hard time casting votes for communist policies when he’s swinging with the f–ing fish,” he wrote. “Dead men can’t pass sh–t laws.”

He also posted during the siege, suggesting that a group was ready and waiting with guns.

A search warrant executed later that month found that Florea, who was previously convicted of a New York state firearms-related felony, also stockpiled 1,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, 2,000 rounds of shotgun ammo, 75 “military-style” combat knives, two hatchets and two swords in his home, according to a criminal complaint

During Florea’s January arraignment, U.S. Magistrate Judge Sanket Bulsara said he “is a significant danger to the community and is a flight risk.”

He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.