A Washington state man has been arrested and charged with threatening to kill Democratic Senator Patty Murray because of her votes backing healthcare reform legislation, U.S. prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Charles Wilson, 64, was arrested in Selah, Washington, after making profanity-laced threats to hurt and kill her in voicemail messages he left at Murray's office starting around March 22, according to an FBI affidavit filed in a U.S. court.

"I hope you realize, there's a target on your back now," he said in a March 22 message included in the criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. "Kill the (expletive) senator! I'll donate the lead."

Wilson could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. He was due to appear in court later on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Murray declined to comment.

Wilson is the second man arrested in a week for threatening a U.S. lawmaker as anger has flared over the healthcare law President Barack Obama signed last month to overhaul the $2.5 trillion system.

Last week, a Pennsylvania man was arrested for threatening to kill the No. 2 Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, Eric Cantor, in a video posted on YouTube. That man has been held pending a psychiatric evaluation.

According to the FBI affidavit, Wilson had a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver registered as well as a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

He had previously left messages at Murray's office but the staff there considered them "merely harassing in nature," the affidavit said. On March 22, he began making "overt threats to kill and/or injure Senator Murray, as well as to have her killed and/or injured," it said.

Obama signed the healthcare legislation on March 23.

Reuters