A Texas woman involved in the Capitol riot, who had previously threatened the federal judge presiding over the now-dismissed case against former President Donald Trump concerning the January 6 Capitol events, is currently under custody after failing to report for her prison term.

Abigail Jo Shry was scheduled to begin her 27-month sentence at a federal prison in Florida on February 17 for her threats against U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. However, she did not appear as required, prompting a Texas federal judge to issue an arrest warrant.

According to information from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Shry, aged 45, is now detained at a federal facility in Texas, following her arrest last week in Houston. Specific details of her arrest have not been disclosed.

In an attempt to delay her surrender, Shry’s attorney, Brandon G. Leonard, had requested an extension from U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison, but the request was denied. Leonard indicated that Shry had been incarcerated from January 8 to February 6 due to an unrelated arrest warrant. CBS News reported these warrants were linked to her alleged threats against two Texas state senators, warning of a “war on the Texas Capitol” if state Attorney General Ken Paxton faced impeachment.

Leonard argued that Shry’s jail time significantly hindered her ability to prepare for her prison term and manage her personal and family responsibilities. He noted that Shry has elderly parents, with her father recently encountering health issues.

“She needs extra time to help care for them and responsibly organize her affairs before entering federal custody,” Leonard explained.

Shry requested the judge give her at least another 30 days before she had to report. But Ellison denied the request, and issued the warrant when she failed to show up.

After Ellison issued the arrest warrant, Leonard filed a motion to withdraw as her attorney, writing that his “representation in this matter has concluded.” Ellison approved the request.

As Law&Crime previously reported, Shry in November received a prison sentence of 27 months. Shry appeared stunned at the sentence, according to a courtroom report from CBS News. She reportedly said she had “a fear of her 17-year-old son being drafted into a war for her actions,” even though the draft ended over 50 years ago.

In November 2024, Shry pleaded guilty to transmission in interstate commerce containing a threat to injure the person of another.

On Aug. 5, 2023, Shry called the chambers of Chutkan, who was overseeing Trump’s Jan. 6 case in Washington, D.C., and left a threatening message on the voicemail, according to a federal complaint. Per the feds, Shry started by saying, “Hey you stupid slave n—” and proceeded to threaten anyone who went after Trump along with all Democrats in Washington, D.C., and all LGBTQ people. She also threatened Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who died in 2024.

Shry made the following statements:

• “You are in our sights, we want to kill you.”
• “If Trump doesn’t get elected in 2024, we are coming to kill you, so tread lightly, b—.”
• “You will be targeted personally, publicly, your family, all of it.”

Since Shry used her cellphone, Department of Homeland Security agents easily tracked her to her home in Alvin, in the Houston area, a couple of days after the call. Shry admitted to leaving the message on Chutkan’s voicemail. She said she had no intention of traveling to Washington, D.C., or Houston to carry out any of her threats. But she said if Lee would travel to Alvin, then “we need to worry.” Cops then took her into custody.

During her plea hearing, she reportedly said she thought the statements she made in the message were protected by the First Amendment.

“She was wrong, and today’s plea demonstrates how the Southern District of Texas has no patience for those who target and threaten public servants — ignorance of the Constitution notwithstanding,” Alamdar S. Hamdani, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, said in a statement at the time of her pleading.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon noted at a bond hearing after her arrest that Shry has prior violations of probations, parole, or supervised release and said the defendant has been charged four times in a year for “similar conduct.”

Brazoria County court records show that Shry pleaded guilty in September 2022 to criminal mischief, resisting arrest, and interfering with public duties.

“On September 20, 2022, she was convicted in two separate cases (misdemeanor resisting arrest and misdemeanor criminal mischief) and sentenced to 30 days imprisonment. Recently, on July 11, 2023, she was charged with misdemeanor threat causing fear of imminent serious bodily injury. It is alleged that she committed the instant offense while on bond for the July 11 incident, less than one month after it occurred,” the magistrate judge wrote.

The judge said that Shry, a mother of two, “suffers from major depression and has a long history of substance abuse” and lives with her boyfriend, who is “presently charged with a family assault against her.”

Shry’s father testified that his daughter has a drinking and news consumption problem.

“Mr. Shry believes that Defendant is a non-violent alcoholic. He testified that she sits on her couch daily watching the news while drinking too many beers. She then becomes agitated by the news and starts calling people and threatening them,” he said, according to court filings. “Mr. Shry stated that his daughter never leaves her residence and therefore would not act upon her threats.”

Shry and her roughly 1,600 fellow rioters received a pardon from Trump for their roles in the Capitol attack.