Indiana woman to plead guilty in case of threats against Rep. Nancy Mace

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — An individual in Indiana has agreed to plead guilty to charges stemming from alleged threats made to U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in January of 2025, according to court documents obtained by News 4.

“These threats were credible, they were violent, and they were designed to do great harm,” Mace said. “No American should have to fear for their life simply for serving their country. The FBI and federal prosecutors took swift action to ensure my safety and the safety of my employees.”

Shayla Addison, 28, was initially charged with two counts of influencing a federal official by threat, according to the Department of Justice. Threatening a federal official is a Federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison for each count.

Federal authorities alleged that Addison, on Jan. 15, 2025, sent five text messages to the campaign phone number of an unnamed member of the United States House of Representatives, whose term began in 2021. Mace, at a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 20, confirmed she was the individual receiving threats. Additionally, the three-term congresswoman’s first term also began in 2021.

Investigators claim Addison texted “Come outside b**** we’ll kill you” and “Tread lightly,” among other variations of messages. That same day, Addison also allegedly posted threatening comments on an Instagram account, including: “Shut up h** I’ll kill you” and “I hope you got mace cause you gone need it,” according to court documents.

“I am very grateful to the FBI for taking this threat seriously,” Mace said.

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These developments follow a recent trend, Mace said.

In September, Mace revealed her office was inundated with “hundreds of hateful and threatening phone calls.”

Throughout 2025, a judge repeatedly denied bond to an individual residing in the Upstate, who allegedly threatened the life of Mace.

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For the congresswoman, who is now running for governor, she believes it is a result of hyper-partisan political discourse and her identity as a conservative woman.

“There is an increase in political rhetoric that encourages violence,” Mace said. “I also think that it is because I am a conservative woman who speaks out about women’s issues, particularly transgender stuff. I have always received death threats since coming to Congress. But the last two years have been awful with the death threats. … But the threats are not going to make me silent. In some places, it makes me have more courage to speak out for our daughters and for women.”