A Lexington resident, Christopher Rhodes, 41, has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for sending threatening messages to Jackie Steele, the Commonwealth Attorney for Laurel and Knox Counties. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom.
According to court documents, Rhodes used his Google account on May 22, 2025, to send an email intended as a threat to Steele. The message included references suggesting that Steele needed curtains in his home and mentioned his wife and children, implying that he should fear for their safety. This email was part of a series of communications over several weeks expressing Rhodes’ anger at Steele’s work as Commonwealth Attorney.
Under federal sentencing rules, Rhodes is required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. After serving his prison term, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman. The sentencing was announced jointly by Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office.
