Men Sentenced for E-Mail Threats

Two men accused in an alleged plot to use biological weapons against President Clinton and other officials were sentenced to more than 24 years in prison in Brownsville, Texas, for sending threatening e-mail to government agencies. Johnie Wise and Jack Abbott Grebe, both members of the separatist group Republic of Texas, gave rambling anti-government speeches at their sentencing and challenged U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle’s jurisdiction. They were convicted in October of sending e-mail to the Internal Revenue Service and the Drug Enforcement Agency, threatening to use biological weapons against government employees and their families.