Brian O’Neill, Hate Crimes, Indiana 2024

Hate in Hammond: Brian O’Neill, 46, Sentenced for Hate Crimes

HAMMOND, Indiana – In a disturbing case of racial violence, Brian O’Neill, a 46-year-old resident of Whiting, Indiana, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of Interference with Housing based on Race and one count of Making False Statements to Law Enforcement.

The crimes took place between June 2022 and August 2023, during which O’Neill committed a series of hostile acts against a multi-racial family living next door to his Whiting home. According to court documents, he threatened to assault a member of that family, shouted racial slurs at them, and told them to move out of Whiting.

O’Neill also threatened harm on the landlord who had rented the house to the family. When questioned by law enforcement, O’Neill denied directing racial slurs to the neighboring family and denied making any threats, however, there was a recording that refuted his false denials.

‘Freedom to acquire housing and the freedom to live peaceably in that housing are keys to building a more stable, safe, and prosperous society,’ said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. ‘When, as in this case, a person interferes with another person’s ability to attain and retain housing because of racial prejudices, they have committed a hate crime.’

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hammond Police Department with assistance from the Lake County Prosecutors Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath and Thomas A. Johnson, Trial Attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. If you believe you are a victim of, or witness to, a hate crime or discriminatory act, you are encouraged to report the incident to local and federal law enforcement.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana maintains a Civil Rights webpage where you may obtain information about your rights and make a complaint directly to the office. Visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/civil-rights-enforcement for more information.