Kenneth Pilon, Hate Crimes, Michigan 2023

A Michigan man pleaded guilty to hate crimes for death threats targeting Black Lives Matter supporters.

Kenneth Pilon, 61, pleaded guilty to two hate crime charges in federal district court for willfully intimidating and attempting to intimidate citizens from engaging in lawful speech and protests in support of Black Lives Matter.

Pilon called nine Starbucks stores in Michigan and told employees to relay racial threats to those wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts. He threatened to kill Black people, using a racial slur to refer to his intended victims.

Pilon also placed a noose inside a vehicle owned by R.S. and D.S. Attached to the noose was a handwritten note reading: “An accessory to be worn with your ‘BLM’ t-shirt. Happy protesting!”

The Justice Department announced Pilon’s guilty plea, which will be sentenced on March 23, 2023.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke stated, “The defendant levied racially-motivated death threats against multiple Black people wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts. The defendant also used a noose, a vile symbol of hatred and violence that harkens back to the Jim Crow era, to convey a threat of racial violence. Racially-driven threats of violence simply have no place in our society today, and the Department of Justice will continue to prosecute any individual who engages in this type of threatening conduct.”

U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison added, “The actions of this defendant were threatening to an entire community. We hope this conviction sends the message that this type of activity is criminal, and that we will take the necessary action to protect the people of our district.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca emphasized, “Hate crimes of this nature are meant to not only threaten the victim, but to intimidate an entire community. Because of this wide-ranging impact, hate crime investigations are among the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these crimes and to seek justice for the victims and their communities.”

Pilon was investigated by the FBI.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Turkelson for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Mandatory Facts: Kenneth Pilon, 61, pleaded guilty to two hate crime charges in federal district court. He will be sentenced on March 23, 2023.

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