A Lewiston man is facing up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to sending racist death threats to a black family living in his apartment complex, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.
Charles Allen Barnes, 46, of Lewiston, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of threatening communications in interstate commerce.
In court documents, prosecutors accused Barnes of using Facebook Messenger to record and transmit a “racial-slur-laden” voice message in which he threatened “in graphic and violent terms” to kill his neighbor.
Prosecutors said Barnes made repeated derogatory references to the neighbor’s race, and that Barnes stated he was waiting in his car outside of his neighbor’s apartment and would kill the next person who emerged from it.
The recorded message was sent to an acquaintance of the neighbor whom Barnes knew to be close personal friends with the neighbor, and the acquaintance forwarded the message to the neighbor to warn her of possible danger from Barnes, the Maine U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.
“Hate of any kind will not be tolerated in Maine,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Darcie McElwee said Monday. “With our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine will diligently pursue justice for victims of racial harassment, threats, and violence.”
“Barnes’ conduct is not representative of how we treat our neighbors in Maine. Protecting civil rights is one of our highest priorities,” McElwee said.
“Charles Barnes admitted today to using his words as a weapon and making violent, racist threats against his neighbor,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Division.
“Threats to life are most certainly not protected speech, and the FBI will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice anyone who crosses the line and commits this type of crime,” Cohen said.
Barnes faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, and a sentencing hearing before a federal district court judge will be scheduled at a later date.
“Charles Barnes admitted today to using his words as a weapon and making violent, racist threats against his neighbor,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Division. oy vey
Have cops or the FBI caught those three punks that shot up downtown Saco?
No?
Thank God they’re focused on meenie-weenie wacist words!
Sad to think that the crime committed would be different if it was white on white.
If hate of any kind will not be tolerated in Maine, what about all the Trump haters? Is it really safe walking thru downtown Portland with a MAGA hat on? Is some “hate” worse than others? This whole hate crime nonsense is dangerous. A crime is a crime. When you start determining what the criminal had in his/her mind when it was committed, you are going down a dangerous road.
“Jodi Cohen” of the FBI Boston Division. Every single time.