Joshua James Moro, Civil Rights Conspiracy, False Statements, Perjury, Louisiana 2008

State: Federal
Category: Violent Crime
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/three-indicted-civil-rights-conspiracy-false-statements-and-perjury-connection-cross-burning" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

A federal grand jury in Shreveport, La., has indicted Joshua James Moro, 23; Jeremy Matthew Moro, 33; and Sonya Marie Hart, 31, for their alleged roles in a cross-burning incident in Athens, La., in October 2008.

The indictment charges Joshua Moro with conspiring to interfere with another person’s civil rights, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Jeremy Moro and Sonya Hart each face charges of making false statements to Special Agents of the FBI, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Joshua Moro and Sonya Hart also face charges of perjury before the grand jury, which carries the same five-year sentence.

According to the indictment, Joshua Moro agreed with his cousin, Daniel Danforth, and another person to build, erect, and burn a cross near the home of their cousin, her African American boyfriend, her 11-year-old son, and another relative who was believed to approve of the cousin’s interracial relationship.

The indictment alleges that Joshua Moro offered Danforth diesel fuel to use to burn the cross and sent a text message later that evening to see if Danforth and his other co-conspirator still needed the diesel. Joshua Moro is also accused of falsely denying his involvement in the cross-burning conspiracy to FBI agents and in his testimony before the grand jury.

Jacob Moro, Jeremy Moro’s co-defendant, and Sonya Hart were accused of falsely denying having any knowledge about the cross-burning.

Danforth, who was previously convicted by a federal jury for his role in the cross-burning, was sentenced to 48 months in prison in May 2010.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Erin Aslan from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

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