A former Cornell University employee has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for sending threatening messages across state lines. Jerry Gordon, who now lives in Colorado, will also serve a three-year term of post-release supervision.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, the 56-year-old Gordon admitted that in April 2025, he sent threatening text messages to a man in Aurora. In the text messages, Gordon told the victim to get his affairs in order before Friday, April 25, 2025, as he was going to “drink your blood from the chalice that I will make out of your heart.” Gordon was arrested by FBI agents as he was getting off a plane in Syracuse, on April 25, 2025, after law enforcement became aware of the threats.
Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Disgusting threats to kill the citizens of our district will not be tolerated. The defendant not only made these abhorrent threats, but he also traveled from Colorado to Syracuse to make good on them. Thankfully, local, state, and federal agents, working together, were one step ahead of him. They apprehended the defendant as he was getting off the plane, thwarting his devious plans.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, worked to identify, investigate, and quickly intercept Mr. Gordon before he could follow through on his disturbing threats of violence. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that the FBI will not stand idly by when a dangerous individual threatens the safety of our communities.”
United States District Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe also imposed a 3-year term of post-release supervision.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Police Department, Syracuse Police Department, Cornell Police Department, Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office, Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown prosecuted the case.
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