A Pueblo man who threatened to kill a Denver judge was sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to a news release by the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday.

A jury found Thomas Wornick, a 43-year-old combat veteran, guilty of three counts of retaliation against a judge after he sent nine threatening emails in March 2024 to Judge Judith Labuda, who presided over several of his ongoing criminal cases.

Wornick had been serving a deferred sentence for threatening former U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner when he was charged with new offenses, according to the release.

“No public servant should ever fear for their life simply for doing their job,” Assistant District Attorney Ryan Brackley stated in the release. “Mr. Wornick’s pattern of escalating threats demanded a strong, decisive response.”