A California gambler that had sent threatening messages to athletes of many sports pleaded guilty to charges of transmitting threats against members of the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.
According to the Associated Press, Benjamin Tucker Patz, known as “Parlay Patz,” also sent messages to multiple players of the New England Patriots after they defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.
Patz was accused of sending messages to athletes via social media threatening to enter their homes and behead them and their families. In threats to the Patriots players, his messages said that he would rape and murder their families, according to officials involved in the investigation.
The guilty plea from Patz was for transmitting threats in interstate or foreign commerce. It related specifically to the threats against the Rays players. He has also sent threats to players on several other MLB teams as well as the Sweden Women’s National Soccer Team after their win in the 2019 World Cup over Germany.