Kentucky man charged with threatening to kill employee of U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers

A man has been charged with threatening an employee of U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers.

Rodney B. Watson threatened to assault and murder Carlos Cameron, Rogers’ district director, last September, according to the indictment.

The threat included the intent to impede, intimidate and interfere with Cameron in the performance of his duties, the indictment alleges.

The document did not include details on what Watson allegedly said or did, or on the reason for the alleged threat.

Rogers’ office referred questions to the U.S. Capitol Police, which investigated. A spokesperson for the agency said it would not comment on a pending case.

The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The only other recent charges against a person of the same name in Pulaski County, where Rogers has his district office in Somerset, were in 2016.

Watson, 65, was charged then with terroristic threatening, having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, and driving while impaired. A citation said an officer saw an open container of Heaven Hill vodka in the vehicle with Watson.

Watson pleaded guilty on the DUI charge and the others were dismissed, according to court records.

Rogers, a Republican who lives in Somerset and represents Southern and Eastern Kentucky, was first elected to Congress in 1980.

He is the longest-serving member of Congress ever from Kentucky and the current Dean of the House, meaning the longest-serving member there.