Man charged with threatening to shoot Congresswoman's staff

A Philadelphia man is in federal custody after police alleged he threatened to shoot members of Rep. Allyson Schwartz's staff, according to reports on Saturday.

The FBI said Jesse L. Keel, 44, called Schwartz's office Wednesday regarding his lost dentures and complained the Congresswoman has never done anything for him despite always getting his vote. When he didn't get the response he wanted, Keel told the staff member on the phone that he was a former Marine with access to a rifle.

He then threatened to get on a bus, stand on the roof across the street, and shoot staff members in Schwartz's Philadelphia office. Keel later called back and spoke with a second staff member and told them he was a patient at Aria Hospital in Philadelphia.

When an FBI agent went to interview Keel at the hospital he had already been discharged. Hospital officials had expressed concern about his mental state but were unable to commit him for a psychiatric evaluation without his consent. Later that night FBI agents visited Keel's apartment accompanied by his girlfriend and arrested him.

The U.S. Attorney's office said Keel will be detained pending a psychiatric evaluation and a hearing to see if he is competent to stand trial. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.