The court considered these factors when enhancing his sentence, determining that Barnes deliberately targeted his victims based on their race. Further complicating the case, police found him hours later outside his apartment, armed with a large knife
A 47-year-old man from Lewiston, Maine, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for threatening a Black family living in his apartment complex. Charles Allen Barnes pleaded guilty to making threatening communications across state lines.
In a disturbing Facebook voice message, Barnes declared he was outside a neighbor's home and threatened to kill anyone who came out, repeatedly using racial slurs to describe the victims. Evidence presented during the sentencing revealed Barnes’ deep-rooted racist beliefs, including online promotion of white supremacist views and self-identification as a “racist skinhead.”
“Violent and racially motivated threats have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant, a self-described racist skinhead, used social media to terrorize his innocent neighbors because they are Black. This sentence cannot undo the fear and trauma his hateful actions caused but should make clear that online threats come with real-world penalties. The Justice Department is steadfast in enforcing our federal civil rights laws to ensure all communities, including communities of color, are protected from hate-fueled threats of violence.”
The court considered these factors when enhancing his sentence, determining that Barnes deliberately targeted his victims based on their race. Further complicating the case, police found him hours later outside his apartment, armed with a large knife.
“The hate-fueled threat and his subsequent possession of a weapon nearby instilled fear in this family in the one place we all should feel safest,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee for the District of Maine. “Hate of any kind will not be tolerated in Maine, and we will continue to pursue justice for victims of racial harassment, threats, and violence.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Boston Field Office, with support from the Maine Attorney General’s Office and the Lewiston Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheila Sawyer and Trial Attorney Alec Ward from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“Charles Barnes’ abhorrent behavior and racist threats put his neighbors through a horrific experience,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Division. “People of all races and faiths deserve to feel safe in their communities. It is our hope that today’s sentence helps the victims in this case heal, while making it clear to others that violence, especially borne from hate, will not be tolerated.”
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