Woman Sentenced for Vandalism, Arson of Biracial Man’s Home

On June 18, 2012, a Missouri woman was sentenced to 63 months in prison for her role in the vandalism and arson of a biracial man’s mobile home in Independence, Mo., the Department of Justice announced.

Earlier this year, the woman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, one count of violating the Fair Housing Act, and one count of obstruction of justice. Two male co-conspirators each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the civil rights of the victim and one count of violating the Fair Housing Act for their roles in vandalizing and burning down the man’s home. They are scheduled for sentencing next month.

In her plea agreement, the woman admitted that the trio conspired to intimidate and scare a biracial man into moving out of the mobile home park, in part because of his race. In June 2006, they entered the man’s mobile home, without his permission, and vandalized it by writing at least 15 racially derogatory slurs on the walls of his trailer.

Two days later, the woman drove the men to a neighborhood behind the victim’s home so that they could set fire to his home without being detected. The woman waited in her vehicle for the men to set the fire and then drove them back to the park.

“Violent and destructive acts such as the arson of this man’s home seek to undermine the guarantees of equal justice and equal opportunity that are central to our laws,” Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “The Department of Justice will continue to act aggressively to ensure that every American enjoys the right to occupy a home free of racially motivated intimidation and violence.”

Source: U.S. Department of Justice