A Bozeman man was sentenced Thursday to 14 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to threatening Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, capping a case that began with violent social media posts and escalated to an unexpected visit to the state Capitol in Helena.

Samuel Veraaneck, 54, received his sentence in U.S. District Court in Missoula before Judge Dana Christensen. Veraaneck had entered a guilty plea in February on a charge of threatening to assault or murder a federal official. A separate interstate-threats count was dismissed under the terms of the plea agreement.

How the Case Unfolded

Capitol Police first flagged the situation to the FBI in January 2025 after violent messages targeting Jordan appeared on social media. One post read, in part, “I’m going to kill every m-f- here.” Investigators traced the account to Veraaneck and obtained his contact information.

The threat to Gov. Gianforte had its roots in an October 2024 incident. On October 15 of that year, Montana Highway Patrol officers found Veraaneck at the state Capitol demanding a meeting with Gianforte. He claimed the governor had been responsible for the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk — who is, in fact, alive — and alleged that Gianforte had tried to kill Veraaneck and his family. Officers escorted him from the building; Gianforte was not there at the time.

The same day, Veraaneck posted threatening content on Facebook and later traveled to Bozeman, where Gianforte resides. His activity extended beyond Montana. He also made threatening statements online against Fox News commentator Tomi Lahren and traveled to her parents’ home in South Dakota, where he photographed himself outside the property. Despite the breadth of the conduct, prosecutors charged him only for the threats against Jordan and Gianforte.

Defense and Mental State

Defense attorney Michael Donahoe argued that his client’s actions were rooted in a chemically distorted state of mind rather than genuine violent intent. “I think Mr. Veraaneck was continually, habitually using marijuana, and it just had him in a frame of mind where he wasn’t thinking clearly,” Donahoe told the court.

Veraaneck himself held unusual beliefs during the period covered by the charges. He told the court he believed President Donald Trump was sending him coded messages through public speeches, and that the government had been blackmailing him for years. Judge Christensen said he rewatched the relevant Trump speeches and found no embedded communications, expressing concern about Veraaneck’s conviction that public figures were communicating with him privately.

Addressing the court directly, Veraaneck apologized and said he had been “blaming others for my problems.” He described his approach to the targets as a “bear tactic” — intended to frighten, not harm — and told the judge he had no actual intention of hurting anyone. He also spoke of missing his children.

Sentence Below Guidelines

The 14-month term fell below what federal sentencing guidelines would have recommended. Judge Christensen cited Veraaneck’s lack of prior criminal history as the primary reason for the more lenient sentence. Christensen also said he found Veraaneck’s remorse credible. “I believe you when you tell me that you’re not going to engage in this conduct again,” the judge said from the bench.

Veraaneck had already served roughly seven months before sentencing, meaning his remaining time in custody will be considerably shorter than the headline figure suggests.

Broader Context

The case highlights a pattern of threats against elected officials that law enforcement agencies at both the state and federal level have tracked with increasing concern. Gov. Gianforte, who is serving his second term, and Rep. Jordan, a senior House Republican from Ohio, were among several political figures targeted by Veraaneck during a months-long period of escalating online activity.

Montana law enforcement and federal investigators worked in coordination throughout the investigation, with the Montana Highway Patrol’s response to the Capitol incident providing key early evidence in the federal case.