Pro-abortion woman sentenced to five years in prison for threatening judge

A California woman who pleaded guilty to threatening a Texas judge has been sentenced to five years in prison. At the time, the judge had been presiding over a case regarding abortion pill regulations.

Key Takeaways:

• Dolly Kay Patterson was sentenced to five years in prison after sending a threatening message to Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in 2023.

• Patterson's threat came after Kacsmaryk ruled that the FDA's approval of mifepristone should be overturned.

The Backstory:

On April 16, 2023, Dolly Kay Patterson of California sent a threatening message to Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s Texas office through a form on the district court's website. The message said: "Tell this antiabortion judge he needs to watch his back - and that of his kids - the rest of his life!"

The threat came slightly more than a week after Kacsmaryk ruled that the FDA’s approval of mifepristone — the first drug of the two-drug abortion pill regimen — should be overturned (the Supreme Court later ruled that mifepristone could remain available).

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In May 2025, Patterson pled guilty to a violation of “18 U.S.C. § 875(c), that is, Interstate Threatening Communications,” according to court records, which also state that Patterson “admits” to sending a message “containing a true threat to injure a United States District Judge.” Patterson's guilty plea was part of a plea deal.

Patterson was not the only woman who threatened Kacsmaryk; Alice Marie Pence was also arrested for threatening to kill him. Pence was sentenced to 10 months in prison for her threat.

Kacsmaryk reportedly received "a barrage of death threats and protesters" in relation to the case.

The Details:

This week, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown imposed the maximum sentence possible on Patterson, sentencing her to five years in prison.

According to Reuters, Patterson's lawyer Christy Drake called the sentence "excessive," noting that her client "has had an otherwise law abiding life."

But the office of Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson said the sentence was necessary to ensure judicial safety.

“The safety of our federal judiciary is paramount,” said Larson. “Threats of violence to our judges are becoming all too common—whether made online or in person.  Such threats are illegal and will be prosecuted.”