S. Phila. locksmith jailed, banned from city for threats

A South Philadelphia locksmith who threatened to blow up Police Headquarters and the District Attorney's Office, and to kill an assistant district attorney, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and banned from returning to the city without permission.

"Yes, hello, I'm down here in Philadelphia, guess what, got a van standing by with Semtex and barrels of explosives to blow up Philadelphia Police Headquarters sky high," Richard Zangari said in a voice-mail message left April 3 with the National Security Agency (NSA), according to court documents.

In other calls, he alleged that an assistant district attorney who lived in his apartment complex was engaged in psychological warfare against him and was attempting to frame him. In one of the threats against the lawyer, Zangari ranted, ". . . Do you know how many people want to kill her right now, huh, they want to cut her up in pieces, they want her dead. Now either she gets fired or she gets killed, either one or the other, now choose," according to court papers.

Investigators said Zangari called the NSA 68 times between Jan. 26 and April 10, 2010, and left similar messages. In each he identified himself as "Richard A. Zangari from Philadelphia." All the calls were traced to his cell phone.

Zangari, who has a previous conviction on firearms charges, pleaded guilty July 8 to multiple counts of interstate communications crimes. He is also facing charges of reckless endangerment and DUI for crashing his vehicle into a home in April, according to federal court documents.

Following his prison term, Zangari will receive three years of supervised release that will include inpatient treatment at a mental health facility, according to court documents. He is forbidden from returning to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which includes Philadelphia, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton Counties.