Back in April 2022, a California man named Jeremy David Hanson was arrested for one count of “interstate communication of threats to commit violence” after he sent horrific messages to the dictionary-based business.
According to a statement from the District of Massachusetts’ US Attorney’s office, Hanson used the dictionary website’s “Contact Us” portal to submit the aforementioned messages between 2 October and 8 October 2021.
In one of his posts, he wrote: “It is absolutely sickening that Merriam-Webster now tells blatant lies and promotes anti-science propaganda. There is no such thing as ‘gender identity.’ The imbecile who wrote this entry should be hunted down and shot.”
Hanson, who went by the username “@nonYmous,” also threatened to bomb and shoot up the company’s headquarters.
“You evil Marxists should all be killed. It would be poetic justice to have someone storm your offices and shoot up the place, leaving none of you commies alive.”
In addition to Merriam-Webster, the 34-year-old also targeted other businesses with anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric – including Hasbro, Inc., IGN Entertainment, Amnesty International, American Civil Liberties Union and Land O’Lakes.
After pleading guilty to two counts of the aforementioned charges in September, US District Court Judge Mark G Mastroianni finally entenced Hanson to one year and one day in prison.
The ruling, which was made on 13 April, also assigned the 34-year-old three years of supervised release.
Shortly after the verdict was made, US Attorney Rachael S. Rollins released a statement supporting the decision.
“Hate has no place in Massachusetts. Every person has a right to live their life authentically and without fear,” she said.
“I hope today’s sentence will demonstrate to members of the LGBTQ+ community that this office will hold those who engage in threatening, hateful acts accountable.”
While Hanson has been handed an extensive sentence, his lawyer Marissa Elkins told NBC News that he’d only be serving a few months due to “time already served and other credits.”
“[Hanson] has the treatment and resources he needs to never engage in this conduct again,” she added.