John Courtney Pollard with Sean Hayes, Billy Porter, Sally Struthers, and Lily Tomlin.

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

A man with a decades-long career in professional theater — including working as the personal assistant to award-winning actor Sarah Jessica Parker — admitted to sending violent death threats to a Pennsylvania election official, federal prosecutors announced on Thursday, Dec. 4.

John Courtney Pollard, 63, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to making interstate threats, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Pollard sent four iMessages to a Regional Election Integrity Director employed by a the Pennsylvania Republican Party, on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, authorities said. 

The victim had posted online seeking volunteers to “observe at the polls on Election Day” and included their phone number.

Pollard initially wrote that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and used the victim’s first name, prosecutors said. He then sent three threats over ten minutes:

  • “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”
  • “Your days are numbered, B****!”
  • “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!”

“Election workers, including volunteers and poll watchers, must be able to do their jobs without fear of threats and intimidation,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti said.

“Threatening those tasked with protecting the integrity of elections will not be tolerated,” FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek added.

Pollard’s Background

As the Philadelphia Inquirer previously reported, according to his LinkedIn profile, Pollard has worked in professional theater for more than 40 years, both in the United States and Europe. Public records matched his social media to the court documents obtained by Daily Voice. His experience includes stage management for productions such as "Waiting for Lefty", "The Tempest", "Major Barbara", "No Exit", and "Macbeth" with multiple theater groups, including Quintessence Theatre Group and the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.

He previously served as the assistant stage manager for "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" starring Lily Tomlin, and for "An Act of God" starring Sean Hayes during its West Coast tour.

Facebook/John Courtney Pollard @johncourtneypollard
Facebook/John Courtney Pollard @johncourtneypollard

From April 1996 to May 1997, Pollard worked as a personal assistant to Sarah Jessica Parker in New York City, according to his profile.

Outside the theater, Pollard has also held roles as an assistant manager in visual merchandising for retailers including World Market, Smith & Hawken, and RH.

Sentencing Ahead

Pollard is scheduled for sentencing on March 31, 2026. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the DOJ said.

The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office led the investigation.