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Robert Keller Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime in Utah
A 70-year-old Hurricane, Utah man has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights crime for threatening an interracial family in his neighborhood.
Robert Keller, 70, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty to interfering with the housing rights of three members of an interracial family because of the family member’s races and because the family members were living in a home in Hurricane, Utah.
According to court documents, Keller wrote a note to two Caucasian family members of an interracial family threatening to kill them if they did not make their African American family member leave their home. The note was written on December 30, 2013.
During the plea proceedings, Keller admitted to using threats of force to willfully intimidate and interfere with the two Caucasian family members because they were occupying a dwelling while associating with their African American family member.
“Members of our community have a constitutional right to live in their home without fear, and we will not tolerate threats of violence that infringe on that right,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Molly Moran for the Civil Rights Division.
“Hate based crimes have no place in America. They not only hurt the individuals who are the object of such hate, but tear at the fabric of our society as a whole. In this case, the defendant’s attempt to rid his neighborhood of an African American member of an interracial family serves as a horrifying reminder that racial intolerance still exists in some communities. This conviction sends a clear message that such despicable acts will not be tolerated, but will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for Utah Carlie Christensen.
Keller faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the conviction. Sentencing has been set for December 1, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Evelyn Furse. The case is being investigated by the Salt Lake City Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Hurricane City Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant United States Attorney Carlos Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Salt Lake City.
Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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