Brian Adams, Federal Hate Crime, Kentucky 2021
A Kentucky man was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for a federal hate crime targeting fifth-grade students online.
Brian Adams, 24, of Paintsville, Kentucky, transmitted a threat to a fifth-grade class at the Laureate Academy Charter School on or about October 14, 2020, while the school was conducting class virtually over Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adams used racial epithets against the students and teachers and threatened to "hang them by a tree." He pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threatening communications.
The court found that Adams' actions were motivated by hate.
"This prosecution should make clear that perpetrators of hate crimes hiding behind computer screens, hacking into teleconferences and disrupting virtual meetings will be held accountable," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division.
Adams was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and one year of supervised release in the District of Eastern Louisiana.
The FBI New Orleans Field Office investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey N. Knight for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Mary Hahn of the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section.
The case highlights the importance of holding perpetrators of hate crimes accountable, especially when they target vulnerable victims such as children.
The Justice Department is committed to protecting children from hate-filled assaults and safeguarding their right to a safe and secure education.
Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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