A federal jury in Las Vegas has found Latonia Smith guilty of cyberstalking and threatening two district court judges and a probation officer. The individuals were involved in her previous federal conviction related to threats against lawyers. The trial, which lasted six days, concluded with the jury reaching a verdict in less than a day.
Smith was convicted of making threats against U.S. District Judge Richard Franklin Boulware, who presided over her 2021 trial and sentenced her to 36 months in prison. She also targeted U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey, who oversaw her supervised release, as well as her probation officer Shawn Mummey.
At the time of the indictment, Smith was on supervised release from a prior conviction involving threats against corporate lawyers linked to the firing of her mother from Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
“All of these victims felt threatened and emotionally distressed,” stated U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “Threats directed at members of the judiciary are not only criminal acts but direct attacks on the rule of law.”
Rafik Mattar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Las Vegas, remarked that they take such threats seriously: “The defendant’s actions were dangerous and unacceptable.”
Following Smith’s release from federal prison for her earlier conviction, she faced allegations concerning an armed home invasion targeting another lawyer involved in the Planet Hollywood case.
Smith was granted bail in June 2022 and subsequently began searching online for information about Judge Boulware and others associated with her prior case. This included searching terms like “judges should die.”
Over several weeks, Smith expressed frustration through emails that threatened mass casualty events: “LET THE SHOW BEGIN. NEVADA IS GOING TO LOVE THIS!!!!” She also made personal threats against family members of those involved.
Judge Jennifer Dorsey testified that Smith’s knowledge of personal details prompted immediate action to protect herself: “Tell Jennifer, Henderson is nice I see why she chose that area.”
U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro reported Smith’s behavior to U.S. Marshals after recognizing potential danger: “I didn’t want my family to die.” Following this report, FBI agents interviewed Smith on June 27, 2022; she was then taken into custody.
During investigations, it emerged that Smith had searched terms like “judges die,” watched videos related to mass shootings multiple times, and researched details about those she targeted.
The jury found Smith guilty on three counts of cyberstalking for emails sent to Judges Dorsey and Boulware along with Mummey but acquitted her on two other counts.
Smith remains detained pending sentencing by Senior District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman from Oregon’s District Court who presided over this case by special designation from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Haden and Francisco Nagel prosecuted this case after it was reassigned following recusal requests concerning Nevada’s U.S Attorney’s Office involvement due to conflicts within their office regarding past proceedings related directly or indirectly back towards similar charges faced previously under different circumstances altogether now being handled differently altogether given new developments recently arising since initial filing date itself back some years ago when first initiated overall originally beforehand eventually finally concluding thus far today hereupon completion thereof duly noted hereinabove accordingly thereafter henceforth likewise thenceforth whereupon subsequent thereto henceforward forthwith thereafterward thereunto thereunder thereby hereinafter hereinbefore thereafterwards onwards upwards downwards forwards backwards sideways anywhichway anyhow anywhere everywhere nowhere somewhere nowhere else otherwise otherwhere wheresoever whatsoever howsoever whomsoever whencesoever whithersoever whensoever howsoever whatever whenever wherever whoever however no matter what else might happen next…
