A Santa Clara man has been sentenced to five years in prison for threatening a former state lawmaker over a firearms bill last year.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's office said 47-year-old Everett Basham was sentenced Friday.
He had faced up to 10 years in prison after pleading no contest last year to charges that included making a terrorist threat, illegal possession of handguns and assault weapons, forgery and possessing destructive devices.
Prosecutors say Basham, who once worked for Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, was upset with legislation by former Democratic Sen. Leland Yee of San Francisco that would have limited the rapid reloading of assault weapons. The bill ultimately died in the Legislature.
In an email to NBC Bay Area last year, Wozniak confirmed he knew – and liked – Basham.
"Everett is a brilliant engineer who has contributed insightful and creative ideas to me," Wozniak wrote. "Everett left ... primarily due to his disagreeing with the structure of the company under venture capital. I admire Everett's thinking very highly. I would classify Everett as distrustful of the government, as many of us are. He was a champion for the common person. Everett never spoke as a person who could or would commit a crime. I was honored to be at his wedding."
Basham's attorney, Dan Barton, did not return a telephone message.
Local
Yee has since been indicted on federal corruption charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
