OPA
The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with Madison County Schools in Kentucky to resolve its investigation into complaints of serious and widespread racial harassment of Black and multi-racial students. The department opened its investigation in October 2021 under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The department’s investigation uncovered numerous incidents […]
A Kansas man was indicted by a federal grand jury for using guns, death threats and racial slurs to intimidate Black people and interfere with multiple federally-protected rights. The indictment alleges that, on July 27, 2022, Austin Schoemann, 30, of Wichita, brandished a firearm and used racial slurs in order to threaten two Black juveniles, […]
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery Thank you, Scott, for that kind introduction, and deep gratitude to ABA’s Rule of Law Initiative for their ongoing partnership, and for hosting this impactful event. A huge thank you to the event organizers, David Dettman, Sarah Timoti and Lorraine Cook for your hard work in planning this discussion and […]
A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty to one felony count and one misdemeanor count of intimidating and interfering with Black residents because of their race and because they were exercising their right to fair housing. According to court documents, William McDonald, 45, of West Allis, Wisconsin, admitted that in March 2021, he vandalized a Black woman’s […]
A Mississippi man was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Halil S. Ozerden to 42 months* in prison followed by three years supervised release and restitution in the amount of $7,810 for burning a cross in his front yard with the intent to intimidate a Black family. According to court documents, in Gulfport, Mississippi, on Dec. […]
Two Florida men were sentenced today in federal court in the Middle District of Florida for hate crime charges in connection with their racially-motivated attack against a Black man in Citrus Springs. Roy Lashley, 56, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, and his brother, Robert Lashley, 52, was sentenced to 36 months in […]
The Justice Department announced that Kenneth Pilon, 61, has pleaded guilty in federal district court to willfully intimidating and attempting to intimidate citizens from engaging in lawful speech and protests in support of Black Lives Matter. Pilon will be sentenced on March 23, 2023. Pilon pleaded guilty to two hate crime charges. Specifically, he pleaded […]
A former supervisory correctional officer at the Kay County Detention Center (KCDC) was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for violating the civil rights of three pretrial detainees held at the KCDC. On April 15, 2022, a federal jury convicted Matthew Ware, 53, of willfully depriving […]
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery Thank you, Una, Dan, and Justin, for the invitation to speak today and for the kind introduction. It’s an honor to be with you all, and I am grateful for this opportunity to discuss the important work the Criminal Division is doing day in and day out to combat white […]
Jordan Patrick Leahy, 29, was sentenced today in federal court in the Middle District of Florida to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his racially-motivated attack against a Black man who was traveling down a public roadway with his family in Seminole, Florida. Leahy was convicted of willfully intimidating […]