At a time when the nation is attempting to recover from the Charlie Kirk assassination and coming to grips with the threat political violence poses to freedom of speech, a Massachusetts man sitting in the Brevard County Jail will have to wait a little longer to learn his fate.
Edwin Guerrero, 25, faces eight felony charges and up to 175 years in prison for using social media last year to threaten the life of then-State Rep. Randy Fine, now a U.S. Congressman representing Florida’s Sixth District, in very graphic and disturbing terms. Guerrero was scheduled to plead guilty this week under a plea agreement that has been continued, or postponed, to a later date.
Fine asked for the hearing to be continued for two reasons. First, he said he would like to attend the hearing and was scheduled to be in Washington D.C that day. Second, and more important, the congressman was not very happy about the proposed plea deal.
“I want to be there and I frankly also want to have a discussion about the the severity of the sentence which I do not agree with,” Fine told me this week over the phone.
Not to worry. State Attorney Will Scheiner has done the right thing and on Thursday had his office withdraw the plea offer.
The deal, according to Fine, was for Guerrero to receive 2 1/2 years in exchange for the guilty plea, meaning with good behavior he could have been released in one year since he’s already served a year waiting for the case to get resolved.
“I don’t think that’s long enough for crimes that you could get up to, I believe, 175 years in prison,” Fine said. “We live in a world where political violence is being normalized. I think we need to send a message that this is not OK. This person referenced my children, and killing me in front of my kids. I do not want this person released into society as long as my children are living at my house.”
Thursday morning Scheiner was working on scheduling a call with Fine to discuss further. It’s common practice for the State Attorney’s Office to discuss plea offers with any victims.
“We take very seriously the input of all victims in any plea offer that is extended,” Scheiner said, stressing the seriousness of the threats made against Fine.
It’s not clear exactly what prompted Guerrero to start posting threatening messages directed at Fine but judging by his posts on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, Guerrero declared his hatred for Jews. The vile posts against Fine and his family have been taken down but posts like these remain:
“I proudly and openly hate all Jews,” “All Jews are pedophiles and dirty lying pieces of s***.”
According to court documents, Florida Department of Law Enforcement reports that some of the posts directed at Fine included:
“We’re gonna find you,” with a picture of a firearm.
“@VoteRandyFine when he steps out in Florida don’t worry your 2 little precious Jewish boys will suffer the same fate”
“Why don’t you show us where you’re at? @VoteRandyFine your scared of getting your brains blown in? Don’t worry we’ll make sure your sons watch…”
There were others as well.
According to Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) documents, Guerrero was detained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at Logan International Airport last August after he returned from a trip to Spain. FDLE agents were dispatched and brought him to Brevard. Agents said Guerrero admitted making the threats, saying he had gone to far and only wanted to anger Fine.
Fine’s provacative nature makes him no stranger to threats. He told me he receives hundreds of threatening messages every day.
“It takes a lot for me to go to law enforcement,” he said. “This one was clearly going there. You cannot misinterpret what those (messages) said. What we want is to dissuade people from doing this.”
Guerrero’s Orlando attorney, Richard Zaleski did not respond to a request for comment.
Two and a half years seems awfully light, especially since we’ve experienced a rise in political violence in recent years.
“You could not be more threatening than these threats were,” Fine said. “I just don’t think it’s enough. I don’t have a problem if he sits in prison for the rest of his life.”
Many would agree.
Contact Torres at jtorres@floridatoday.com. You can follow him on X @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at facebook.com/FTjohntorres.
Support local journalism and become a subscriber. Visit floridatoday.com/subscribe
Contact Torres at jtorres@floridatoday.com. You can follow him on X @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at facebook.com/FTjohntorres.
Support local journalism and become a subscriber. Visit floridatoday.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Torres: Randy Fine pushes back on plea deal for man charged with threatening to kill him, family
Reporting by John A. Torres, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
