Woman accused of threatening to kill Butler County District Attorney

A Butler woman was in jail Monday for allegedly threatening to kill Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger over the weekend, according to state police.

Brittany Marie Hartos, 25, is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and terroristic threats after police say she called the National Crisis Hotline on Saturday and threatened to “go to Goldinger's house and work if necessary to kill him.”

Hartos is being held at the Butler County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Goldinger issued a statement Monday addressing the threats that said he was informed by police of the threats on Saturday and Hartos was arrested before any threat was carried out.

Goldinger said his office, and other prosecutor offices around the country, make difficult prosecutorial decisions that aren't popular. He said violence is never the answer to demonstrate an opinion or voice concerns.

He said he “cannot get into the mind of the individual who made her threat against me, and I will not speculate.”

Goldinger said the case has been turned over to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for prosecution and he wouldn't comment further.

Messages left for state police in Butler weren't immediately returned Monday.

Emily Balser is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-226-4680, emilybalser@tribweb.com or on Twitter @emilybalser.