NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was arrested Friday and charged with threatening to murder and assault a member of Congress.
Wallace Grove Godwin, 69, made the threat at Congressman Scott Taylor’s Virginia Beach office Thursday, according to court documents.
“After apparently becoming frustrated during a discussion about marijuana policy, Godwin made the following statement to a staff member for the Congressman: ‘Scott is having an event this Saturday. I am going to get my shotgun and do something about this. I will just handle this myself.’ Godwin then pointed at two staffers in the room and stated, ‘You two are next,'” a spokesperson for the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said. “These recent threats follow two aggressive interactions that Godwin had in 2017, one in which Godwin visited Congressman Taylor’s private residence and interacted directly with Congressman Taylor outside his home. During another incident Godwin visited the Virginia Beach office and yelled at congressional staff members.”
Godwin was scheduled to make an initial appearance in Norfolk federal court Friday afternoon.
“Godwin has been charged with threatening to murder and assault a United States official, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, if convicted,” the spokesperson said.
Rep. Scott Taylor, a Republican, was elected to Congress to represent Virginia’s 2nd district in 2016. He previously in the Virginia House of Delegates and was a Navy Seal.
