Texas man arrested for threatening Boston doctor

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A Texas man was arrested Friday on a federal cost that he left a threatening voicemail message for one Boston doctor who supplies care to the transgender group, in accordance with the U.S. Attorney’s workplace in Massachusetts.

The man, Matthew Jordan Lindner, 38, of Comfort, Texas, was charged with one rely of transmitting interstate threats. Comfort is in Kendall County, about 50 miles northwest of San Antonio.

Lindner, whose firm Lindner Ammo was a federal firearms license in 2019, is accused of leaving a voicemail message on Aug. 31 threatening to kill the doctor who works on the Boston-based National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center.

Following the cellphone name to the Boston doctor an FBI agent said in an affidavit that Lindner referred to as two different cellphone numbers assigned to a Rhode Island college the place the doctor is a college member. The calls have been comprised of his firm’s quantity, in accordance with AT&T cellphone information cited by federal investigators.

Lindner was arrested Friday morning and made an preliminary look within the Western District of Texas. He is being held with out bail, according to the New York Times. He will seem in federal courtroom in Boston at a later date. If convicted, he might resist 5 years in jail, three years of supervised launch and a advantageous of as much as $250,000.

In the recorded message to the Boston doctor Lindner mentioned, “you’re all gonna burn,” in accordance with prosecutors. He added, “a group of people on their way to handle” the doctor and “You signed your own warrant.” Lindner named the doctor within the voicemail and ended the message by saying, “You’ve woken up enough people. And upset enough of us. And you signed your own ticket.”

That name lasted 41 seconds, the affidavit says.

The doctor who acquired the menace was not publicly named by prosecutors. Lindner didn’t reply to calls or textual content messages from The Texas Tribune.

The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, which is a part of the Fenway Institute, supplies instructional applications and well being care for the queer and transgender communities. The middle doesn’t provide medical care or referrals, in accordance with its web site. The Texas Tribune has reached out to the middle for remark, however the group didn’t instantly reply.

Hospitals and medical doctors across the country have acquired dying threats over the well being care they provide transgender youngsters.

Gender-affirming care which main well being care organizations in Texas say is one of the simplest ways to supply care for gender dysphoria, which is the misery somebody can really feel when their assigned intercourse doesn’t align with their gender identification. It contains medical, social and psychological help to assist an individual perceive and respect their gender identification. Providers typically work with counselors and members of the family to make sure they’ve every part they should navigate the well being care system.

According to federal prosecutors, false information started to unfold on-line in August that Boston Children’s Hospital medical doctors have been performing hysterectomies on youngsters. They change into the goal of a harassment marketing campaign primarily based on misinformation about its transgender surgical procedure program by conservative social media accounts. Hospital employees told WBUR, the general public radio station in Boston, at the moment that they’ve acquired aggressive calls, emails and dying threats for some suppliers too.

BCH employees has mentioned medical doctors don’t carry out hysterectomies or gender-affirming surgical procedure on sufferers underneath the age of 18, the affidavit says. Lindner’s name to the Boston doctor adopted these threats.

“Mr. Lindner’s alleged conduct – a death threat – is based on falsehoods and amounts to an act of workplace violence,” mentioned Rachael S. Rollins, the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, in a press launch. “The victim, a Doctor caring for gender nonconforming and transgender patients, should be able to engage in this meaningful and necessary work without fear of physical harm or death.”

The U.S. Department of Justice mentioned it has pledged to guard the rights of the gender nonconforming and transgender group, which incorporates the well being care suppliers who render care and help.

Joseph R. Bonavolonta, the FBI’s particular agent in command of the Boston Division, mentioned in a press release that the doctor had been focused as a result of she was caring for gender nonconforming youngsters.

“No one should have to live in fear of violence because of who they are, what kind of work they do, where they are from, or what they believe,” he mentioned.

Disclosure: AT&T and New York Times have been monetary supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news group that’s funded partially by donations from members, foundations and company sponsors. Financial supporters play no function within the Tribune’s journalism. Find an entire list of them here.