Florida man harassed Connecticut employees, told them their souls were damned

A Florida man pleaded guilty in Bridgeport federal court today to one count of making harassing phone calls after more than a year of leaving about 270 harassing voicemails with employees at a Hartford company.

Brent Q. Hansen, 49, of Seminole, Fla., faces a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced Oct. 18.

The government said Hansen left messages between March 2011 and June 2012 with executives and employees at Travelers Insurance saying that the individuals are cursed, that God will damn their souls and that he hopes God will kill them. During the same time period, Hansen also repeatedly sent harassing emails to the employees.

A Department of Justice memorandum filed in opposition to Hansen's motion for release states that in the voicemails "The defendant repeatedly derides the victims, calling them murderers, rapists, terrorists and criminals. The defendant frequently yells, sometimes laughs and sometimes screams for long stretches of time."

The DOJ said Hansen was charged with first degree arson in Florida in 1992 after allegedly setting fire to a residence following an argument with a friend.

Officials said he moved to Canada and stayed there for 14 years, returning to Florida six years ago. The case against Hansen was not pursued by prosecutors who were unfamiliar with the charges because of the age of the case, the DOJ said.

Hansen has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on July 5.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Neeraj Patel.