United States of America v. Ryan Gregory Bracken

Salt Lake City, Utah criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Making Death Threats

Utah Man Sentenced to Prison After Making Death Threats to the Salt Lake County Sheriff and Others Over the Foreclosure of His Property

Ryan Gregory Bracken, 44, of West Valley City, Utah, was sentenced today to 60 months' imprisonment and three years' supervised release after he made repeated death threats to the Salt Lake County Sheriff, other government offices, and a local law firm.



The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart, comes after Bracken was found guilty by a federal jury in October 2024 of four counts of stalking and one count of interstate communication of threats. See prior press release here.



According to court documents, evidence presented at trial, and statements made at Bracken's sentencing hearing, between March 20, 2024 and April 2, 2024, Bracken made specific threats to kill law enforcement officers and hold other victims responsible for "treason,” the penalty for which he described as "death.” Bracken believed those he threatened were responsible for – or could somehow stop – the foreclosure of his residence. Bracken also made threats of hangings and shootings, with repeated references to the caliber of ammunition he planned to use to shoot anyone who came on his property, which was subject to foreclosure. For example, Bracken made multiple threats that if the Sheriff's sale of his property occurred, he would hold the Sheriff responsible for "treasonous acts” and that she would "swing from a rope.” As Bracken's threats grew more extreme, a multi-agency operation was launched to protect the public from his threatened acts of violence.



"The safety of our citizens is a priority for the U.S. Attorney's Office and law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. "Bracken's conduct was extreme, unabated, and dangerous. It is our hope the victims he terrorized may find peace in knowing he is behind bars and justice was served.”



"I want to thank all the agencies involved in this investigation and bringing it to a closure,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. "I appreciate the U.S. Attorney's Office for prioritizing the safety of our community and our public servants."



"The circumstances Mr. Bracken found himself in were not the making of those he callously threatened to harm but the consequences of his actions," said HSI Salt Lake City Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Crane. "We will aggressively pursue those threatening public servants for performing their sworn duties and serving our communities and ensure that individuals like Mr. Bracken face justice for their actions."



The case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.



The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.