A woman from Texas, who admitted to making threats against a federal judge involved in a high-profile election fraud case, has reportedly gone missing after failing to check into prison. Abigail Schley was supposed to begin a 27-month sentence at a federal facility in Tallahassee, Florida, but she never showed up.
Following her absence, a judge issued a bench warrant to help locate and apprehend her. Schley had been residing in Allen, Texas, according to reports.
In November 2024, Schley pleaded guilty to transmitting threats through interstate communication aimed at a judge. This threat was directed towards Judge Tanya Chutkan, who was handling former President Trump’s case regarding alleged election interference. In August 2023, during a phone call to Chutkan’s office, Schley made derogatory comments and warned against the consequences if Trump didn’t win the 2024 election, saying something like, “we’re going to come and kill you.”
In addition, she left threatening voicemails for the late Representative Sheila Jackson Lee and claimed she had plans to target not just Lee, but also her family. Lee passed away about 11 months later due to cancer. Both women are Black, which adds an unsettling layer to the threats.
Schley allegedly extended her threats beyond these individuals, potentially targeting all Democrats and members of the LGBTQ community in Washington, D.C. When confronted in court, she argued that her outbursts were protected by free speech and insisted she did not mean to act on them.
A police report indicated that Schley had reached out to various congressional members, issuing threats about potentially storming the Capitol if Trump wasn’t reelected. Additionally, she reportedly sent a voicemail to two Texas state senators, warning of “a war in the Texas Capitol” if local Attorney General Ken Paxton faced impeachment.
During Schley’s detention hearing in August 2023, federal prosecutors expressed fears that her aggressive rhetoric might escalate further. Citing recent events, they suggested that her track record indicated she could pose a serious threat.
The prosecutor alluded to the infamous case of Lee Harvey Oswald, emphasizing the importance of taking action based on Schley’s history of behavior.
As of now, Schley’s attorney has not commented on the situation, leaving many questions unanswered.
