Man accused of threats to Speier’s office
A Manteca man accused of threatening to kill female staff members of U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, has pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, officials said.
Ronald Joseph Lafaye, 52, was arraigned Monday in San Mateo County Superior Court on charges of criminal threats, threatening a public officer and making annoying telephone calls. He allegedly left 12 threatening voice mails on the office phone for the congresswoman.
Speier’s office on Tuesday declined to comment on the allegations.
The incident started with a “very innocuous sort of call” made in December, according to the office of San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. Lafaye was reportedly seeking help with veterans affairs. The Chronicle could not immediately confirm that Lafaye is a veteran.
Months later, on March 19, he left a dozen voice mails peppered with expletives and threats of violence, according to prosecutors. During the calls, Lafaye allegedly said that he used to pray for Jackie Speier in junior high school “and has nothing against her, but that her staff is worthless.” Lafaye also threatened to torture one of the women on staff, adding that he’d been taught how to torture women, Wagstaffe said.
“It’s very obvious from this there are serious mental health issues going on,” he said. “What exactly provoked the call to this office? Don’t know at this point.”
Lafaye also allegedly threatened staff members by saying he would “carve your f— heart out,” according to prosecutors.
It’s not clear why Lafaye called the office when his home of Manteca (San Joaquin County) is not in the 14th District represented by Speier.
Lafaye left his first and last name and his number on the voice mail, Wagstaffe said. Police found him in Oregon, where he was extradited from in the last two weeks, officials said.
Prosecutors were discussing with the U.S. attorney’s office if the case should go through federal court.
Lafaye was being held at Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City in lieu of $150,000 bail.