Who is Eugene Huelsman? California man sentenced to six month home confinement for threatening to kill Rep. Matt Gaetz

An Emmy nominated camera man was convicted of threatening Matt Gaetz (image via Gage Skidmore, Surprise AZ)
An Emmy nominated camera man was convicted of threatening Matt Gaetz (image via Gage Skidmore, Surprise AZ)

On Thursday, prosecutors announced that Eugene Huelsman, a 59-year-old cameraman, has been sentenced to six months home confinement for threatening to kill Matt Gaetz, a 40-year-old US representative in Florida.

According to Yahoo, on January 9, 2021, Eugene Huelsman left a voicemail threatening to shoot Matt Gaetz.

As per court documents, he said:

"I'm going to put a bullet in you. I hope you die in a grave, you despicable tyrant"

According to Curtis Fallgatter, Eugene Huelsman's defense attorney, the threat was made in response to the January 6 US Capitol attack that had occurred 3 days before the voicemail was sent. Allegedly, Huelsman believed that Gaetz played a crucial role in catalyzing the riots.

“(Eugene Huelsman) was just outraged about the attack on the Capitol.”

For one count of transmission of a threat, Huelsman has been sentenced to 6 months home confinement. He will also serve 5 years on probation and pay a $10000 fine.


All there is to know about the man convicted of threatening Matt Gaetz

Business Insider reported that Huelsman is a camera man who had worked for NBC, ABC, and CNN. According to IMDB, between 2004 and 2014, he won 1 Prime Time Emmy and was nominated for 9 others.

Huelsman was nominated for work on shows such as Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. In 2014, he was among 32 others who won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Technical Team at the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade.

Despite his success as a camera man for Hollywood and various news agencies, prosecutors allege that Matt Gaetz may not be the first politician Huelsman threatened. The Justice Department said that Huelsman had been investigated in the past for threatening the family of an unnamed US President.

In response to the threat against Matt Gaetz, Jason Coody, US Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, condemned Huelsman's actions.

He said:

"The free exercise of speech is central to our democracy. However, the communication of threats of physical violence, in this case by an individual who had previously made and been investigated for similar threats of violence, is clearly unlawful."

In an official press release, Huelsman's attorney, Curtis Fallgatter, said in an official statement that since his 2021 arrest, the former camera man has found it difficult to find work.

Fallgatter identified Huelsman's reported anger issues as a central reason as to why he threatened Matt Gaetz.

"He acknowledges that none of that justified his call, and, as noted, he greatly regrets making that call."

He added:

"(Huelsman is) very embarassed."

Fallgatter said that during his probation, Huelsman plans to enter an anger management program.


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