US federal judges receive threatening anonymous pizza deliveries

Federal judges have raised alarms over an ongoing harassment campaign involving unsolicited pizza deliveries to their homes, which have reportedly targeted hundreds of judges across at least seven states.

The deliveries began in February and have raised serious security concerns, prompting calls for an investigation from Senate leaders and heightened attention from law enforcement.

The US Marshals Service has been tracking these deliveries, as judges and their families share their experiences in hopes of uncovering the motives behind what many describe as an attempt to intimidate the judiciary. Some pizzas have even been sent to judges' relatives. In recent weeks, deliveries have been made in the name of US District Judge Esther Salas’s late son, Daniel Anderl, who was murdered in 2020 during an attack on the family home.

US Circuit Judge J. Michelle Childs, a member of the Federal Judges Association, revealed that she had received seven unsolicited pizza deliveries in recent months, including one shortly after ruling against the Trump administration in a lawsuit related to the firing of an independent government watchdog. Childs voiced concerns over the psychological toll these deliveries have taken on her and her colleagues.

“It’s unsettling because I’d like to go to work every day, even with the hardest case, just feeling like there’s no sense of intimidation,” Childs said. “It’s really an unnecessary and an unfortunate threat to our security when we’re trying to be judicial officers in a very neutral position with respect to our cases.”

Childs, Salas, and other affected judges have been sharing the details of these deliveries with the Marshals, hoping to shed light on the origin and motives of the attackers. The US Marshals Service has declined to disclose specifics about the number of deliveries or the number of judges affected but confirmed they are investigating the matter.

The deliveries, which some have likened to "swatting"—a form of harassment where fake emergencies prompt police responses—have raised further alarms due to their connection to high-profile court cases. In March, the Southern District of New York sent a memo to local judges warning of the ongoing deliveries, linking them to cases involving the Trump administration.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. had previously warned about the rise of harassment, threats, and violence against the federal judiciary, noting in his year-end report that threats had significantly increased. This was particularly apparent in light of President Trump's frequent criticisms of judges ruling against him, which sometimes included calls for their impeachment.

Salas, who serves on the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, expressed concern over the escalation of tactics used against judges. Initially, only judges were targeted, but recently, pizzas have also been sent to their children. In one particularly disturbing development, a pizza was ordered in the name of her late son, Daniel, a reminder of the tragic shooting that occurred at their home. Salas said that receiving a pizza bearing her son's name felt like “psychological warfare” and a chilling threat.

“‘I know where you live. I know where your children live. Do you want to end up like Judge Salas? Do you want to end up like Daniel?’” Salas recounted, describing the targeted pizzas as part of a coordinated effort to intimidate.

The use of Daniel's name in this context, Salas said, has been weaponized as a form of fear and intimidation. These pizzas have been sent to judges in multiple states, including Rhode Island, New York, California, and Oregon.

In response to the growing concern, Senator Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has called for a full investigation by the Department of Justice and the FBI. He referred to the deliveries as “threats intended to show that those seeking to intimidate the targeted judge know the judge’s address or their family members’ addresses.” Durbin has asked for a status update on the investigation by May 20.

Salas and others involved in the cases have underscored the critical need for stronger protections for judicial safety, especially in the face of threats fueled by inflammatory rhetoric. Salas pointed out that this environment of heightened hostility towards the judiciary could have serious consequences, as evidenced by the tragic loss of her son.

Former federal appeals court judge Paul Redmond Michel, who is part of an advocacy group for judicial protection, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the urgent need for Trump and other officials to reaffirm their commitment to respecting judicial decisions and prioritizing the safety of judges.

“We know from the January 6, 2021, rioters that there are people out there who are perfectly prepared to be extremely violent and damaging and threatening,” Michel said. "Judges have to feel confident enough in being protected, so they can make decisions without looking over their shoulders."