PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes today announced the sentencing of Ryan Stuart Hadland, age 45, of Phoenix. Hadland was sentenced to three years’ probation after he pled guilty to Use of An Electronic Communication to Terrify, Intimidate, Threaten or Harass, a Class 1 Misdemeanor under Arizona law.
On November 12, 2022, Hadland emailed Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates an email with the following threat:
“By Owing allegiance to the United States, the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign, shall suffer death. YOU ARE the corrupt Democrat party, being paid or for price of power, to cheat our voting system in Maricopa County. It’s obvious you've made my vote not count by offsetting it with multiple fraudulent Democratic ballots counting as votes instead. Because you are trying to make sure I don't exist by communicating a clear F*** You over and over again, I will bring you back to reality with your sure death, multiple times over again. I've always thought food poisoning to be the easiest means to have slipped in the unassuming person's meals. I will follow the example you've lived by, of paying off the necessary people to make sure the repetitive food poisoning you ingest will lead to certain death. There are many poisons that aren't detectable when they are naturally present in the human body. The poisons which enter the body with most ease will be strategically placed in every aspect of your routine life. I promise you, you are about to be poisoned multiple times over again to make sure your death, or corpse, is carried out.”
“Threats of violence against public servants are not only criminal acts, they are direct attacks on the principles of our democracy,” said Attorney General Mayes. “My office is committed to protecting our election officials and I will continue to prosecute those who seek to undermine our democracy through intimidation and violence.”
Pima County Superior Court Judge Scott McDonald also ordered Hadland to obtain mental health services, as directed, and provide proof that he continues to use those services while on probation. Judge McDonald further ordered Hadland have no contact with Supervisor Gates or his family.
Attorney General Mayes announced charges against Hadland in June 2023. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
