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Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
This page aims to raise awareness and provide resources addressing the rise of antisemitic, anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim hate in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Learn more about DOJ’s efforts to address and prevent hate crimes by viewing the DOJ Statements, Featured Videos, DOJ Resources, and DOJ News Releases on our website.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
Across four decades, FBI special agents and law enforcement officers here in Birmingham took this case personally and saw it through to completion. Their dedicated work—and the dedicated work of hundreds of other agents on countless other cases—is part of the Bureau’s DNA.
Today, the FBI is the only federal agency charged with investigating civil rights violations, which include hate crimes and color-of-law violations.
Civil rights violations have been increasing for some time, which is why, in 2021, the FBI elevated civil rights to a national threat priority. In plain English, that means the program receives more resources and that civil rights violations jump a lot of other investigations in priority at every field office. And, this year, we increased the number of people specifically committed to investigating civil rights crimes to 176 special agents, plus 57 analysts.
Nationally, we’ve seen a steady rise in the volume of hate crimes. In 2022, across all levels of law enforcement in the United States, more than 13,000 hate crime incidents were reported. About half of those were crimes motivated solely by race, ethnicity, or ancestry biases. We’re still collecting nationwide data for 2023, but just looking at our work at the FBI, our investigations led to more hate crimes charges last year than any year since the turn of the century.
Almost certainly, the most high-visibility ongoing case is the mass-casualty shooting at the Tops Supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in May of 2022. The shooter posted online about his fears of what he called “white genocide.” He targeted a nearby community with the highest percentage of Black residents and then meticulously plotted, scouted, and prepared for a series of shootings.
He was ahead of his planned schedule when he stepped out of his car wearing body armor and livestreaming from a helmet cam. Yelling racial slurs, he shot four people in the parking lot before he entered the store and began targeting anyone who was Black.
In just a couple minutes, he’d shot 13 people, and the 10 he killed were all Black.
As horrific as that was, it could’ve been far worse if Buffalo Police Department officers had not arrived within two minutes of the start of the shooting. They stopped him from reaching his car—where he had more weapons and ammunition—and from moving to a second location.
Now, I can’t talk much about the ongoing federal case, but those are all details from the shooter’s guilty plea to state charges of murder, terrorism, and hate crimes. In February, a New York court sentenced him to 10 consecutive life sentences, plus 75 years, without the possibility of parole.
And our case has also led to 27 federal charges: 13 hate crimes charges relating to the people he shot, one more for attempting to kill other African American people nearby, and 13 firearms charges relating to his hate crimes, with that trial scheduled to begin late next year.
I know that case has everyone’s interest across the country, but I don’t want to leave you with the impression that something needs to be a capital case—or even to include violence—for the FBI to get involved.
One recent case we investigated was up in Billings, Montana. In November 2020, a man walked into a church, hungry and needing help. The elderly woman working there gave him a gift card and wished him well. He should have just been grateful, but he didn’t like that the woman who helped him was Black.
So five days later, he called the church and left a voicemail, claiming to be a church donor and saying he would donate a lot more money if the church would just stop employing African Americans—although the term he used was not “African Americans.”
After he made three more calls, the church contacted the local police. A detective spoke to the man, who promised not to call the church again. Three days later, he left another voicemail, apologizing.
But, it turned out, he wasn’t done. Over the next year and a half—even after leaving the state—he continued calling the church, using racial slurs and making threats, so the FBI got involved and tracked him down. October of 2022, he was indicted on federal charges, arrested in Indiana, and held in federal custody. Last June, he pled guilty to harassment, and, in October, he was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.
Now, that case didn’t make national headlines, but those threats made a huge impact on that church and led a woman—who’d just tried to help someone—to fear for her safety. And we were not going to rest until she felt safe again.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
Tacoma – A 42-year-old Thurston County resident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to making a threat against a Black federal employee at the Social Security office in Olympia, Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Steven L. Veres was initially charged in July 2023, and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle on June 25, 2024.
According to records filed in the case, on February 16, 2023, Veres and a companion went to the Olympia Social Security Office seeking a replacement Social Security card. When a Black Social Security employee told Veres that Veres lacked the proper paperwork to obtain a new Social Security card, Veres became irate, threatening to assault and, per some witnesses, kill the worker. Veres also repeatedly yelled racial slurs at the employee.
Veres pleaded guilty to Influencing a Federal Official by Threat. He also agreed to the application of the United States Sentencing Guidelines’ hate-crimes enhancement, which increases his offense level by three levels because he targeted the victim because of the victim’s perceived race or color.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, both sides will ask for a sentence of 30 months in prison. If the court accepts the plea agreement at the sentencing hearing, the recommendation will bind the Court.
As part of the plea agreement, Grays Harbor County will dismiss an unrelated prosecution against Veres for attempting to elude a police officer.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Protective Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Will Dreher, Jocelyn Cooney, and Elyne Vaught in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to threatening an interracial couple via Facebook Messenger in January 2021, and with attempting to prevent the couple from reporting the threats and harassment to law enforcement.
Stephen M. DeBerardinis, 46, of Boston and Dedham, pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting in interstate commerce threats to injure a person; one count of tampering with a witness and victim by intimidation, threats, and corrupt persuasion; and one count of tampering with a witness and victim by harassment. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2024. DeBerardinis was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2021.
“This case demonstrates that you cannot cowardly hide behind a keyboard and spread bigotry, intimidation and fear. The spike we have all witnessed in hate-motivated threats of violence will not be tolerated, and our office remains steadfast in our commitment to aggressively pursue threats and acts of hate that are motivated by racism or bigotry,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Everyone deserves to live free from persecution and threats simply for who they are. Full stop.”
“You can’t just threaten people online with racially motivated, violent physical harm and not face repercussions,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “What Stephen DeBerardinis put this couple through is despicable. The FBI takes all threats to life seriously and so should anyone thinking about making one. We will investigate, identify you, and ensure you’re held accountable for your actions.”
“This is another example of the value of bringing together the collective resources and expertise of the Boston Police Department with our State and Federal partners to keep our residents safe,” said Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox.
In late December 2020, the victims, a white woman and a Black man, announced their engagement on Facebook which included photographs of the couple. DeBerardinis, who did not know the couple personally, could view the photographs because he was a friend of one or more of the victims’ Facebook friends. On or about Jan. 6, 2021, DeBerardinis used Facebook Messenger to send the couple a series of threatening and harassing messages concerning the couple’s interracial relationship. For example, DeBerardinis wrote, “EWWWWWWWW YOUR A N***** F***** F****** DIRTY A** WHITE TRASH,” and continued with similar messages. When the couple messaged DeBerardinis that they were reporting him to law enforcement, he sent them a message that said, “SNITCHES GET STITCHES” with a picture of brass knuckles. DeBerardinis also threatened, “Read up more on me lol… you will see how me and my crew burn n*****s alive,” and “And white whores like you well [sic]…. get rape and killed THAN [sic] we cut off body parts and mail them to your family lol.” The victims reported the incident to local police, who contacted federal law enforcement.
The charge of transmitting in interstate commerce threats to injure a person provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. The charge of tampering with a witness and victim by intimidation, threats and corrupt persuasion provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of tampering with a witness and victim by harassment provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen; and Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings and Nadine Pellegrini of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
MIAMI – Melanie Harris, 59 of Riverside, California, pled guilty to knowingly and intentionally transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce. Harris, who has been in custody since July 20, 2023, entered her guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared M. Strauss on March 4. Harris remains in custody and is scheduled for sentencing on May 23 before U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman in Miami, where she faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
According to the facts admitted at the change of plea, on October 3, 2022, Harris made multiple calls to Victim 1’s cell phone, and left four separate threatening voicemails, with the intent to communicate a true threat and with the knowledge that the communications would be seen as true threats. In one of these four October 3 voicemails, Harris stated in relevant part: “I’ll cut your f—— head off kiker.” The term “kike” has long been used as an anti-Semitic slur aimed at Jews.
Neither Victim 1 nor his wife, Victim 2, knew the identity of the person (Harris) calling Victim 1 with these threatening and harassing calls and voicemails. Nor did they know where the calls were coming from because Harris concealed her phone number using the *67 feature. However, all of these calls originated from the Riverside, California area, where Harris lived at the time, and were received by Victim 1’s phone in the Southern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the guilty plea.
The FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force, which also investigates civil rights violations, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward N. Stamm and Nardia Haye are prosecuting the case, which was indicted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry C. Wallace, Jr.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60050.
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Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – United States Attorney Prim Escalona announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office held an event at Alabama A&M University to promote the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative. The event, which included federal prosecutors and state and local law enforcement partners, focused on educating students on how to identify, report, and prevent hate crimes.
With approximately 195 students attending, Alabama A&M hosted subject matter experts from the United States Attorney’s Office; Montrez Payton, Chief of Police, Alabama A&M University; and Tafeni English-Relf, State of Alabama Director, Southern Poverty Law Center. Presenters highlighted differences between hate crimes and hate incidents and provided options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime. Presenters also distinguished unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including distinguishing between protected speech and speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.
U.S. Attorney Escalona previously hosted meetings in November 2023 in the Birmingham area at Ramsay High School for students and faculty and in the community with the FBI Birmingham Division and the Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee, which consists of community leaders from across the Northern District of Alabama.
“Through the United Against Hate initiative, we are working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to prevent hate crimes and incidents through education and awareness,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “It is so important to build community trust so that people feel comfortable reporting hate crimes. We want people to feel safe in their communities and that means they should be free of fear based on what they look like, where they are from, what faith they practice, and who they love.”
Those who believe they are subject to hate crimes or incidents should contact local law enforcement and the FBI. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Northern District of Alabama may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama by calling 205-244-2001.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
DETROIT – A West Palm Beach man was indicted by a grand jury for repeatedly threatening the Council on American-Islamic Relations (“CAIR”) Michigan Chapter, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Chad Baugh, Chief of the Canton Police Department.
As alleged in the indictment, Michael Shapiro, 72, of West Palm Beach, Florida, placed three separate phone calls to CAIR’s office located in Canton, Michigan, and left voicemails containing the following threats:
Michael Shapiro, 72, was charged with three counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. The indictment also alleges that Shapiro intentionally selected the victim of his threats because of the actual and perceived religion and national origin of the people who work at and are assisted by CAIR.
“Today’s charges should serve as a warning that those who threaten violence, especially when they intend to instill fear on an entire community, will be identified, investigated, and aggressively prosecuted,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“Threats motivated by religious bias can have a devastating impact on an entire faith community. For this reason, hate crimes are one of the FBI’s highest investigative priorities,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “We remain committed to working with our partners at the Canton Police Department and across the state to detect and prevent violent incidents motivated by bias or hate. We also urge the public to report any suspected hate crimes to your local police or the FBI at 1-800-225-5324. You may also submit an online tip at tips.fbi.gov.”
“The Canton Police Department extends sincere thanks to the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership in addressing threats by Michael Shapiro against the CAIR Michigan Chapter,” said Chief Baugh. “Such collaborative efforts reinforce our commitment to combating hate crimes and ensuring community safety. We are resolute in our mission to uphold the safety and rights of every individual.”
An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Shapiro faces up to 10 years in prison for each of the 3 counts. If convicted, a federal court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Sean Pietila, 20, of Pickford, Michigan was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for making a series of violent threats on June 1-2, 2023, to kill Jewish people. At the time he communicated those threats, Pietila was living in Lansing, Michigan. Evidence recovered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) indicated that Pietila had identified a Jewish synagogue in East Lansing and a specific date in March 2024, and made a wish list of firearms and other weapons.
“Today and every day we will take swift action to detect and disrupt hate crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “No Michigander should live in fear because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or any other protected status. I’m incredibly grateful to FBI Michigan and our other law enforcement partners for their diligence and dedication.”
In November 2023, Pietila pleaded guilty to sending numerous messages containing threats to kill others to an Instagram user located outside of Michigan. Those messages, which included references to Adolf Hitler and antisemitic language, talked of Pietila’s desire and plans to engage in a mass shooting in a manner similar to a specific past mass shooter. During execution of a federal search warrant in June 2023, the FBI found typed notes in Pietila’s cell phone that indicated plans to engage in a mass shooting and to commit suicide. For his actions, United States District Judge Robert Jonker sentenced Pietila to serve 12 months and one day in prison, 3 years of supervised release following incarceration, and pay $10,648 in restitution.
“I am incredibly proud of the work of our office and appreciative of the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners in bringing the defendant to justice,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “There is absolutely no tolerance for threats of violence and intimidation in the state of Michigan and in our society. The FBI will vigorously pursue those who commit these actions.”
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, TRI-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET), and Michigan State Police Emergency Services Team. Assistant United States Attorney Chris O’Connor prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man pleaded guilty today to firebombing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa in March 2022 and planning to attack an electrical substation in Orange, and further admitted to plotting an attack on Dodger Stadium last year on a night celebrating LGBTQ pride.
Tibet Ergul, 22, of Irvine, pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to damage an energy facility and one misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility.
“This defendant’s hateful ideology led him down a dark path of plotting to harm others,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “The breadth of his and his co-conspirators’ violent plans is chilling. They planned to attack the power grid to start a race war, target Dodger Stadium on Pride Night, and bomb a second reproductive health services clinic. This reminds us of why it is critical that all of us unite against hate in our community.”
“Mr. Ergul put lives at risk when he firebombed the clinic and yet continued to plan acts that had the potential to cause death and destruction,” said Amir Ehsaei, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Using terroristic violence to further an ideology is a serious crime with severe consequences and, as a result, Mr. Ergul faces significant jail time when sentenced for his cowardly choices.”
“NCIS is committed to the interagency coordination as part of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Battaglia of the NCIS Marine West Field Office. “This case should serve as a warning to those who perpetrate acts of terror against our fellow Americans and hate that threatens access to reproductive health services.”
According to his plea agreement, in February and March of 2022, Ergul and Chance Brannon, 24, of San Juan Capistrano, agreed to use a Molotov cocktail to damage a Planned Parenthood clinic in Orange County. Ergul and Brannon, who at the time was an active-duty United States Marine, targeted the clinic because it provided reproductive health services and they wanted to encourage others to engage in similar violent acts. Ergul and Brannon also wanted to make a statement about abortion; scare pregnant women away from obtaining abortions; deter doctors, staff and employees at the clinic from providing abortions; and intimidate the clinic’s patients.
On March 12, 2022, in Ergul’s garage, Ergul and Brannon knowingly assembled a Molotov cocktail. During the early morning hours of March 13, Ergul and Brannon – disguised in dark clothing, masks, hoods, and gloves – drove to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa, ignited the Molotov cocktail and threw it at the clinic’s entrance, intentionally starting a fire. Due to the fire and the damage it caused, the clinic was forced to temporarily close and reschedule approximately 30 patient appointments.
Ergul further admitted that in June 2022, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, he and Brannon planned to use a second Molotov cocktail to attack another Planned Parenthood clinic. Ergul and Brannon abandoned this plan after seeing law enforcement near the targeted clinic.
Ergul also conspired with others, including Brannon, to damage a Southern California Edison electrical substation to debilitate Orange County’s power grid. Ergul and his accomplices planned to attack the substation by using firearms or a Molotov cocktail that Ergul possessed in his garage. Ergul and Brannon consulted with an associate about surveillance, drone operations and firearms. In March 2023, Ergul messaged an associate to say he had found a substation in Orange to target. Ergul sent the associate aerial photographs of the substation and suggested doing a “drive-thru” at 3 a.m. Ergul also sent Brannon a letter in which he wrote: “The rifle is in a box in my room waiting to be used in the upcoming race war,” and he discussed a desire to murder politicians and journalists. Ergul and Brannon did not carry out this attack prior to their arrest in this case.
During the early summer of 2023, Ergul and Brannon also discussed and researched how to attack the Dodger Stadium parking lot or the stadium’s electrical room on a night celebrating LGBTQ pride, including by using a device that could be detonated remotely, Ergul admitted in his plea agreement. Brannon and Ergul exchanged sabotage manuals and discussed doing “dry runs” to “case” the stadium. Law enforcement arrested Ergul and Brannon two days before Dodger Stadium’s scheduled “Pride Night.”
United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney scheduled a May 30 sentencing hearing, at which time Ergul will face a statutory maximum sentence of 21 years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors have agreed to seek a sentence of between five years and six-and-a-half years in prison for Ergul.
Ergul, who has been in federal custody since June 2023, is the third and final defendant to plead guilty in this case.
Brannon, who also has been in federal custody since June 2023, pleaded guilty in November to four crimes: conspiracy, malicious destruction of property by fire and explosives, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility – a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Brannon’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 15.
Xavier Batten, 21, of Brooksville, Florida, who has been in federal custody since July 2023, pleaded guilty on January 19 to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility. Batten’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 15.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated this matter. The Costa Mesa Police Department and the Costa Mesa Fire Department provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Justice Department Trial Attorney Jacob Warren from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results of the Middle District of Florida’s efforts to combat the disturbing spike in threats against public officials, religious institutions, and individuals in our community, as well as crimes motivated by hate-based ideologies. Over approximately the past year and half, federal prosecutors across the District have prosecuted more than 27 defendants for threats, stalking, harassment, interference with the exercise of civil rights, and other hate-based crimes. The defendants charged in these cases committed federal offenses on the internet, over the phone, in voicemails, on commercial aircraft, and in person. The attached chart details the threat and hate-crimes prosecutions that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has handled in the last year and a half.
The threats of violence, threatening conduct, and actions charged in the listed cases have caused serious harm to individual and organizational victims. Often these crimes create major disruptions in the continuity of operation of schools, retail establishments, medical facilities, houses of worship, and government offices. As the attached chart illustrates, federal judges have imposed substantial sentences on defendants charged with threat-related offenses in the Middle District of Florida. For example, the Court sentenced seven of these defendants to terms of imprisonment of more than a year. In some cases, the Court imposed sentences of five years’ imprisonment.
The Middle District of Florida’s pursuit of threat crimes is consistent with its overall strategy of reducing violent crime and sending the message to the community that threats of violence will also be taken seriously.
“If you threaten somebody with violence, law enforcement will take you at your word,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “And if you commit a crime based on hate, we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those crimes, too. Law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors will act quickly to disrupt true threats and hate-based crimes by charging you in federal court.”
“Thanks to our strong law enforcement partnerships, we have the people, resources, and technology to identify and arrest those making violent or hate-based threats,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “While the FBI does not and will not police ideology, we take threats to life seriously, and so should anyone thinking about making one.”
“FDLE takes every threat seriously. We will work with our law enforcement partners and exhaust our investigative resources to apprehend anyone who dares to incite harm on Florida’s citizens,” says FDLE Fort Myers Special Agent in Charge Eli Lawson. “Safeguarding Florida’s faith-based communities is paramount.”
Many of the cases that have been prosecuted involved threats directed at victims based on their race, religion, color, national original, or sexual orientation.
Significant cases prosecuted in the past year include:
In Jacksonville in July 2023, Frederick Eugene Pierallini III (27, Jacksonville) pleaded guilty to two federal hate crimes related to intimidating two Black women and interfering with their enjoyment of federally protected activities because of their race and color. According to court documents, on September 10, 2022, Pierallini directed racial slurs at a store cashier. He then threatened the clerk by brandishing and cocking a shotgun. Two days later, Pierallini approached a woman on a public sidewalk, directed racial slurs at her, and threatened to kill her. Pierallini then left, returned with a shotgun, and fired a single shot. Pierallini is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for each count. The FBI Jacksonville Field Office and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Washington and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
In Orlando in January 2024, Jeziah Guagno (24, Boynton Beach) was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for mailing threatening communications to a federal judge. According to court documents, in May 2021, a federal judge in the Middle District of Florida received a threatening letter from M.S.—an inmate at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution. The letter included violent threats to murder the judge and his wife. When interviewed, M.S. denied making the threats. Guagno, however, was also serving time in the same Florida prison as M.S. Subsequent DNA and fingerprint analysis by the FBI determined that Guagno’s DNA was on the envelope and his palmprint was on the letter. Further investigation revealed that the federal judge who had been threatened in the letter had previously dismissed a civil case filed by Guagno. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Corrections. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Belkis H. Crockett.
In Tampa in January 2024, Alexander Lightner (26, Venice) was charged by indictment with interstate transmission of a threat to injure and unlawful possession of a silencer. According to court filings, on December 29, 2023, Lightner made several online posts indicating his intent to carry out a mass shooting. Federal law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Lightner’s residence and located an unregistered firearm silencer, ammunition, and multiple firearms in his bedroom. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.
Threat cases prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida were investigated by the Anaheim Police Department, the Carbondale Police Department, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Corrections, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Hialeah Police Department, the Hollywood Police Department, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas City Police Department, the Miami Dade Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas Park Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Supreme Court of the United States Police Department, the Tampa Police Department, the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Transportation Security Administration, the United States Capitol Police, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and other state and local partners.
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Risha Asokan, Tyrie Boyer, Erin Favorit, Carlton Gammons, William Hamilton, Stacie Harris, Abigail King, Kirwinn Mike, Brooke Padgett, Candace Rich, Lindsey Schmidt, Ilyssa Spergel, Karyna Valdes, Ashley Washington, and Kara Wick, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler.
For more information about other threat cases prosecuted by the Middle District of Florida, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr.
In addition to bringing federal prosecutions arising from this conduct, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has engaged in community efforts aimed at deescalating hate speech and encouraging tolerance and understanding. The Office recently implemented the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative, which seeks to teach the community how to identify, report, and help prevent hate crimes and to build trust between law enforcement and communities. To provide information about some of the federal resources and programs that are available for identifying, reporting, and preventing hate crimes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has set up a dedicated webpage (www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/unitedagainsthate).
|
Defendant (Age, Residence) |
Charge(s) Maximum Terms of Imprisonment |
Status |
|
Sean Albert (20, Winter Park) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure |
Sentenced to time served (approximately 8.5 months) on September 14, 2023. |
|
(36, California) |
Interstate stalking (6 counts) |
Sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on November 1, 2023. |
|
Michael Basaman (45, Temple Terrace) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure (2 counts) Maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. |
Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial on April 5, 2024. |
|
Mario Bentley (39, Jacksonville) |
Interstate stalking (2 counts) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon Maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. |
Charged by indictment on January 23, 2024. |
|
(35, Indian River) |
Threatening to kill a United States judge |
Sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on June 27, 2023. |
|
(61, Ocala) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure, making false statement in connection with the attempted purchase of a firearm Maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. |
Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial on March 4, 2024. |
|
(28, Miami) Gabriella Oropesa (25, Cooper City) Anarella Rivera (47, Hialeah) Amber Smith-Stewart (24, Okeechobee) |
Conspiracy Against Rights and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (2 counts) Maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. |
Charged by superseding indictment, scheduled for trial in March 2024. |
|
(24, Boynton Beach) |
Mailing a threat to injure |
Sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on January 9, 2024. |
|
(67, Sarasota) |
Threatening to kill a United States congresswoman |
Sentenced to 36 months of federal probation on July 6, 2022. |
|
(52, Citrus Springs) |
Hate Crime Acts |
Sentenced to 26 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on January 25, 2023. |
|
(56, Citrus Springs) |
Hate Crime Acts |
Sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on January 25, 2023. |
|
(29, Seminole) |
Interference with federally protective activities based on race (2 counts) |
Sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on November 7, 2022. |
|
(26, Sarasota) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure, possession of unregistered silencer Maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. |
Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial on March 4, 2024. |
|
(21, Sarasota) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure Maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. |
Pleaded guilty, scheduled for sentencing on March 14, 2024. |
|
Frederick Eugene Pierallini III (27, Jacksonville) |
Interference with federally protective activities based on race (2 counts) Maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. |
Pleaded guilty, scheduled for sentencing in April 2024. |
|
Justin Rancourt (35, St. Petersburg) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure |
Sentenced on July 11, 2023, to time served (approximately 10 months in federal prison) to be followed by 120 months of supervised release. |
|
(43, Fernandina Beach) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure Maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. |
Pleaded guilty, scheduled for sentencing on April 1, 2024. |
|
(41, Rhode Island) |
False information and threats regarding the possession of an explosive on an airplane Maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. |
Charged by complaint on December 6, 2023. |
|
(43, Raiford) |
Mailing a threat to injure |
Sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on October 23, 2023. |
|
Stephen Thorn (65, Pensacola) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure, making telephone calls without disclosing identity to abuse, threaten, and harass Maximum penalty of 7 years in federal prison |
Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial in June 2024. |
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(19, St. Petersburg) |
Transmission of interstate threat to injure Maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. |
Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial on February 5, 2024. |
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*Sealed cases and certain other cases are not listed in this chart. |
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