Michael Buck, a multi-convicted felon from Glenallen, Missouri, was sentenced on Apr. 2 to 300 months in federal prison for threatening a federal judge, a federal law enforcement officer, and their families. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and handed down by Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker.
The case highlights the seriousness with which threats against public officials are treated by the justice system. Authorities said Buck’s actions included making violent threats while he was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Forrest City, Arkansas.
Buck was indicted on February 4, 2025 by a federal grand jury on five counts: threatening a federal judge; threatening family of a federal judge; threatening a federal law enforcement officer; threatening family of a federal law enforcement officer; and making false statements to a federal law enforcement officer. He pleaded guilty to all five counts on April 29, 2025. In addition to his prison term, Buck received three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Authorities said that in March 2025 an FBI special agent investigated Buck after he made threats about killing several people upon his release from prison. A recording captured him making violent threats against both the judge who sentenced him in his previous commercial sex trafficking case and the former prosecutor involved in that case as well as their families. The recording also revealed that Buck used contraband phones to locate his intended victims and had called one victim directly before hanging up.
Buck’s criminal history includes convictions for second-degree burglary, assault offenses including domestic violence and resisting arrest, violation of protection orders, and trafficking into involuntary servitude related to coerced commercial sex trafficking.
“Threats to kill public officials and their families for simply doing their jobs will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ross. “Here, once law enforcement learned that in addition to the defendant’s grotesque threats … quick action was taken to prevent his release … We are grateful for the brave witness that came forward … We are thankful that the court recognized that Buck is a sadistic and dangerous individual that needs to be removed from society for an additional 25 years.”
The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from United States Marshals Service and Bureau of Prisons.
