2 Pa. men to be tried in Palin threats case

A federal judge in Alaska ordered two Eastern Pennsylvania men to stand trial for harassing Sarah Palin's lawyers by phone in August.

Shawn Christy, 20, and his father, Craig Christy, 48, both pleaded guilty last month but the plea deals recommended only five years' probation and no fines.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Burgess called the plea deals unacceptable and set a trial date of Jan. 3 in federal district court in Alaska.

The Christys, of McAdoo, Schuylkill County, are in custody in Anchorage.

They were arrested and initially charged in August in federal district court in Allentown.

Authorities said the men were upset about restraining orders issued by Alaska on behalf of Palin, the state's former governor and the 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate, along with family members and friends.

The restraining order against Shawn Christy was issued in 2010 because he was accused of stalking Palin.

It was renewed earlier this year after Palin testified that Shawn Christy appeared to be sending a signal when he made a one-day visit to Alaska on her birthday in February.

Palin also told authorities she feared Christy's parents because of their claims that she had a sexting relationship with Shawn in 2009.

The restraining order against Craig Christy was issued in May after he was accused of inundating Palin's parents with harassing phone messages.

An FBI arrest affidavit said Shawn Christy left many profanity-laced voice mails for Palin's attorney, John Tiemessen, including one on Aug. 2 where Christy threatened to have sex with Palin "just for the hell of it."

Tiemessen represented Palin in obtaining the restraining orders, court papers said.

Both Christys later acknowledged making threatening phone calls from Pennsylvania to Tiemessen.

Court papers said Tiemessen's offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks received hundreds of calls in early August, including 250 on Aug. 8, with some involving threats against him and Palin.

Tiemessen, who showed up for yesterday's court hearing, declined comment to a reporter from the Associated Press.