Ingmar Michael Sjokvist, the man accused of threatening to assault and murder all three members of North Dakota's congressional delegation, pleaded guilty to the felony charge today.
Sjokvist, 57, entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Fargo. He is accused of making several angry calls to congressional offices.
The series of calls culminated May 10 in a phone conversation with an FBI agent in which Sjokvist threatened to shoot Sens. Byron Dorgan, Kent Conrad and Rep. Earl Pomeroy, whom he blamed for his tax problems with the Internal Revenue Service.
District Judge Ralph Erickson ordered Sjokvist held without bond pending a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he poses a threat to himself or others before imposing a sentence.
A truck driver from Dazey, N.D., Sjokvist faces a maximum sentence of 10 years, but prosecutors and the defense agreed to recommend five years of supervised probation, including mental health counseling and an order not to contact members of Congress or their staff without court permission.
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For more details, read The Forum Saturday.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Patrick Springer at (701) 241-5522
