Independence Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Violating Civil Rights of Family by Torching Their Home
| U.S. Department of Justice August 28, 2013 |
WASHINGTON—Tammy Dickinson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, and Jocelyn Samuels, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, announced that an Independence, Missouri man and woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to violating the civil rights of an African-American family by setting fire to their residence.
Logan J. Smith, 25, and Victoria A. Cheek-Herrera, 34, both of Independence, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of conspiring to threaten and intimidate an Independence family from exercising their constitutional right to reside in their home because of their race or color and one count of a civil rights violation for committing a racially motivated arson. Smith waived his right to a grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty to a two-count information, whereas Cheek-Herrera pleaded guilty to two of three counts charged in an indictment returned by the grand jury on May 23, 2013.
By pleading guilty, Smith and Cheek-Herrera admitted that on June 26, 2008, they conspired to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate an African-American couple and their minor children in the free exercise of their constitutional rights to occupy and rent their home in Independence, because of their race and color.
According to the plea agreements, Smith and Cheek-Herrera discussed their desire to set fire to the home of the couple, and they drew a swastika and wrote the words “White Power” on the driveway. Smith and Cheek-Herrera asked a juvenile acquaintance for gasoline and then created a Molotov cocktail by filling a glass bottle with gasoline and inserting a rag into the bottle to serve as a wick.
Smith and Cheek-Herrera then lit the wick and threw the gasoline-filled bottle into the side of the house that the couple was renting and set the residence on fire.
Smith and Cheek-Herrera each face a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for one count of conspiracy against rights and a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for one count of interference with housing rights.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark and Trial Attorney Shan Patel of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
source: FBI
http://www.fbi.gov/kansascity/press-releases/2013/independence-man-and-woman-plead-guilty-to-violating-civil-rights-of-family-by-torching-their-home?utm_campaign=email-Immediate&utm_medium=email&utm_source=fbi-in-the-news&utm_content=252998
Legal Disclaimer
Please be advised that:
The information and notices contained in this blog are intended to summarize recent developments and news. The posts are presented as general research and information. These posts are not intended, nor should be regarded, as legal advice. Some blog posts concern allegations made in civil lawsuits and in criminal indictments in United States Courts. All persons are presumed innocent until convicted of a crime and proven guilty. Readers who have particular questions or who believe that they need legal counsel should seek the advice of a qualified attorney. It is neither the editor's or author's intention to create a confidential relationship or any broker-client relationship via communication from this site at any time. Please consult with your state real estate board if questions & answers in the education section conflict with the laws of your region or if you need clarification regarding their applicability or how they may govern the services that you provide.
By entering this web site, you understand the following:
When you select a link to an outside Web site, you are subject to the privacy, copyright, security, and information quality policies of that Web site. David Saks:
1.DOES NOT control or guarantee the accuracy, legality, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of information contained on a linked Web site;
2.DOES NOT endorse linked Web sites, the views they express, or the products/services they offer unless linked web sites, the views they express, or the products/services they offer endorse or support David Saks in accordance with the standards of the Tennessee Real Estate Commission and the Federal Government's laws regarding commerce and the application, solicitation and transmission of internet-related concerns, commerce or social networking;
3.CANNOT authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites;
4.IS NOT responsible for transmissions users receive from linked Web sites;
5. That DavidSaks.Com is biographical & real estate related. Some links within will leave this site.
6. http://activerain.com/profile/davidsaks is internet-compliant & abides by the rules & regulations of the Tennessee Real Estate Commission, Eve Maxwell, Executive Director.
7. Unless indicated otherwise, ActiveRain does offer listings, or IDX and is provided for licensed salespersons, brokers, buyers & sellers of real property as a community & professional service.
8. David Saks is a retired / licensed real estate broker in the State of Tennessee, license #290452, and an independent contractor.
9. Information is believed to be accurate, but not guaranteed, at any realty link or document connected to the World Wide Web & viewable by anyone connected to the internet who has a web browser.
10. Brokers, buyers, sellers, agents & anyone should independently verify any information prior to submitting any offer to purchase goods & services from any link.
11. Please Visit The American Real Estate Alliance or Memphis.8k.Com for additional information regarding property issues for real estate professionals and consumers.
© All Rights Reserved.
Department of Justice Legal Policies
Click "HERE" For Today's Question
The
Saturday Nite
9pm-12am Central
University of Memphis
WUMR
Support
America's Hobby
Mr.Saks' participation in ActiveRain ended April 13, 2015.
His blog archives will remain online.
May God bless you.
