Hopkins County Man Sentenced for Facebook Threats to Judge

SULPHUR SPRINGS (AP) — A Texas man has been sentenced to five years in prison after a jury found him guilty of sending threatening Facebook messages to a judge. The Sulphur Springs News-Telegram reported that Robert Alan Hawkins was found guilty and sentenced by a visiting judge this week. Hawkins was charged after sending several threatening Facebook messages to District Judge Eddie Northcutt in December 2016 and January 2017 including a picture of ISIS soldiers about to execute hostages and a comment that this was the “next step.” Hawkins had previously sent letters to Northcutt saying the judge and Hopkins County, about 75 miles northeast of Dallas, were corrupt. Hawkins said he sent the messages to force the county to arrest him so he could expose the corruption during his trial.