Queens Man Sentenced to 13 Months for Over 12,000 Harassing Calls to Congress
A man from the US has been sentenced to 13 months behind bars for making over 12,000 harassing and threatening phone calls to congressional offices. Ade Salim Lilly, aged 35, admitted in court that between February 2022 and November 2023, he targeted 54 members of Congress, repeatedly calling their offices in Washington DC and in their home districts. His threats escalated, including one in which he said he would kill a staff member.
During his court appearance in May, Lilly pleaded guilty to charges related to interstate communications threatening to kidnap or injure, as well as making incessant calls. In addition to his prison sentence, the judge ordered Lilly to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his time.
In one particularly alarming incident in February 2023, Lilly bombarded a lawmaker’s office with more than 500 calls in just two days. Many of his disturbing interactions were directed toward congressional staff and interns. One chilling message left on a staff member’s voicemail included the threat: “I will kill you, run you over, and bomb or grenade you.”
Lilly, who lived in Queens, New York, until his arrest in Puerto Rico in November 2023, was part of a larger surge in threats against lawmakers. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger testified that threats against Congress have skyrocketed by 400% in the last six years.
Prosecutors sought an 18-month sentence, arguing that such behavior risks becoming more commonplace, especially in the tense environment of election cycles. Chief Manger emphasized that while free speech is protected, threats and harassment cross a line that the law will not tolerate.
Although Lilly’s motivations remain unclear, he made a vague statement during sentencing, claiming his actions were aimed at securing a better future for the next generation. The judge, highlighting the growing violence against public officials—including the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and the assault on Nancy Pelosi’s husband—warned that the country is facing a dangerous trend before issuing the 13-month sentence.
