David H. Howard, Felony Civil Rights Violation, Florida 2024

Tampa Man Sentenced For Threatening Muslim Family

A Tampa man has been sentenced to eight months in prison for threatening to burn down a home being purchased by a Muslim family. David H. Howard, 59, pleaded guilty to a felony civil rights violation and was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, on November 3, 2016, a Muslim man identified as K.A. and his wife were conducting the final walk-through of a home they had placed under contract in the Davis Islands neighborhood of Tampa. As K.A. arrived for the final walk-through, Howard approached him and the seller, H.D., and the accompanying realtors, and yelled, “This sale will not take place!” Howard threatened to burn the house down and told K.A., “You are not welcome here!” K.A. and his wife hurried away from the house and cancelled the closing of the home purchase that was scheduled to take place the next day.

Howard retold his version of the incident to neighbors, making insulting remarks about Muslims. The incident was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine W. Thomas of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney William E. Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

“This Justice Department will not stand by when individuals use violence and intimidation to deny fair housing rights,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to prosecute crimes like this one that deprive families of a safe place to live.”

“Today’s sentence should send a clear message that we will vigorously uphold our nation’s civil rights laws,” said United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “Crimes perpetrated against people because of who they are or what they believe simply cannot be tolerated.”

The FBI’s Special Agent in Charge of the Tampa Division, Eric W. Sporre, added, “The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the laws of the United States, and that’s what we did in this case. We will not allow hate motivated crimes to infiltrate our communities and threaten our citizens.”

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