Oregon Man Charged After Allegedly Leaving Voicemail Threat to Kill U.S. Senator

A Woodburn, Oregon, man, 51-year-old Donald Leroy Smith, Jr., appeared in court yesterday after allegedly threatening to kill a United States Senator.

Court documents indicate that, on November 12, 2025, Smith left a voicemail for a US senator saying he was “coming to kill you,” that “you need to be dead,” and that he was going to “put a bullet in your head.”

Tidings Timeline
  • Nov. 12, 2025 : Smith leaves voicemail threatening to kill a senator
  • March 19, 2026 : Federal prosecutors file an information in Portland
  • March 19, 2026 : Smith appears in court and is released pending further proceedings

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with assistance from the United States Capitol Police, the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Oregon State Police, and the Woodburn Police Department.

The US Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon, indicated that Smith was charged by information with threatening a federal official with the intent to intimidate that official for the performance of official duties.

Tidings Insight
A federal information is a prosecutor filed charging document. It lets a case begin without a grand jury indictment, but it is still only an accusation.

Smith made his first appearance in federal court before a US Magistrate judge yesterday and was ordered released pending further court proceedings.

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