A Hinesville resident, Alexis Beatles, 44, has been convicted in U.S. District Court for making threatening phone calls to the Department of Veterans Affairs in December 2024. The conviction was announced by Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Beatles was found guilty after a two-day jury trial on charges of Interstate Communications with Threats to Injure Another. He faces up to 10 years in prison and will be subject to supervised release after completing any prison term. Federal sentencing does not allow for parole.
Authorities arrested Beatles in January following a criminal complaint, and he was later indicted by a federal grand jury. The FBI made the arrest with support from Savannah Police Department SWAT and EOD Teams. During the trial, evidence showed that on December 18, 2024, Beatles called a VA hotline and threatened to kill federal employees if his demands were not met. He also threatened to crash his car into the Savannah VA Clinic, harm U.S. citizens, rig his home with explosives targeting police officers, and threaten the families of law enforcement.
“Those who make threats against members of our community in violation of federal law will be held accountable, as we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who seek to intimidate and instill fear in our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Heap.
“VA personnel and the veterans they serve should feel safe while working and receiving care within VA facilities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and stopping threats of terrorism and violence against VA personnel and operations.”
“Threats of violence against federal employees and our communities will never be tolerated,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners to protect those who serve the public and to hold accountable anyone who seeks to cause fear and harm through threats.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Savannah Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron Hubbard prosecuted the case.
