Jordan Patrick Leahy, 29, was found guilty by a federal jury in Tampa, Florida, of attacking a Black man who was driving down a public road with his family out of racial motives.
This was announced by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI Tampa Field Office.
The prosecution presented evidence at trial showing that on August 8, 2021, Leahy approached J.T. as he was driving his daughter and girlfriend home from a family gathering and started yelling threats at him and used his automobile to try to pull J.T. and his family off the road.
After over a mile and a half of pursuing J.T. and his family, Leahy sideswiped J.T. as he made an effort to avoid the assault. Leahy left the accident area but stopped at the next red light.
Towards the light, Leahy overtook J.T., and after hurling more racist epithets, he rushed at J.T. and attempted to attack him.
Leahy made a number of comments demonstrating his racist purpose when Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on the scene, including telling the police that Black people need to be kept “in their neighbourhoods.”
According to Assistant Attorney General Clarke, “Families throughout America must be allowed to freely use our public streets without fear of being harmed due to race.”
This decision should serve as a clear indication that the Department of Justice is still steadfastly dedicated to pursuing individuals who would use violence to impose vile racial ideas to the fullest extent of the law.
According to U.S. Attorney Handberg, “No one should be singled out for attack, threatened, intimidation, or violence due to their race.”
“The defendant in this case placed the safety of a whole family and others at risk by acting on his racist convictions.
We will not accept such conduct in our community, nor will our local, state, or federal law enforcement partners.
Hate crimes target whole communities as well as single victims, according to Special Agent in Charge Walker.
We want to reassure the public that the FBI will actively look into acts motivated by bigotry and hatred.
Anyone who thinks their civil rights have been violated is encouraged to report it to the FBI.
Leahy may get a punishment of up to $250k in fines, three years of supervised release, and a maximum jail term of ten years. Prior to being sentenced, Leahy was remanded into the U.S. Marshals’ custody.
The FBI, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol all looked into the matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys David Reese and Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlton Gammons for the Middle District of Florida.