Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Shoot U.S. Congressman

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Rochester, Ill., man, Randall E. Tarr, today entered a plea of guilty to making a threat against U.S. Congressman Rodney Davis. Tarr, 65, of the 200 block of E. Mill St., Rochester, Ill., entered his plea by video conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins in Springfield. Sentencing for Tarr has been scheduled on Nov. 20, 2020, before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough.

At today’s hearing, Tarr admitted that on the morning of Nov. 25, 2019, he called the Decatur, Ill., office of Congressman Davis and left a profanity-filled voicemail message in which he threatened to shoot the congressman.

According to court documents, the voicemail message was forwarded to U.S. Capitol Police, in Washington, D.C. Through caller ID, police identified Tarr as the alleged caller and U.S. Capitol Police contacted the Rochester Police Department to ask officers to make contact with Tarr. Rochester police officers made initial contact with Tarr on Nov. 25, at his residence, and FBI special agents subsequently interviewed Tarr.  

The offense, making a threat to a federal official, carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Crystal C. Correa is representing the government in the prosecution. The U.S. Capitol Police, FBI, and the Rochester Police Department conducted the investigation.