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    US Department of Justice Official Release - 02099-06 CRT 729

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    US Department of Justice Official Release - 02099-06 CRT 729

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    legalmatters
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    US Department of Justice Official Release - 02099-06 crt 729

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    US Department of Justice Official Release - 02099-06 CRT 729

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    legalmatters

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    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CRT

    THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2006 (202) 514-2007


    WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888

    Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights


    Charges
    WASHINGTON – An Ohio man, David Fredericy, pleaded guilty today to
    conspiring to commit and for committing hate crimes targeting African-American
    residents of Cleveland. Specifically, Fredericy, who has been charged along with
    another individual, Cleveland resident, Joseph Kuzlik, pleaded guilty to conspiracy
    and interference with federally protected housing rights because of race. He also
    pleaded guilty to making false statements to federal investigators.

    The indictment in this case alleges that Fredericy and Kuzlik engaged in a series of
    acts intended to threaten and intimidate African-American residents in their
    neighborhood. The indictment charges, among other acts, that the defendants placed
    a toxic substance, mercury, on the porch of an inter-racial family with children. As
    part of his guilty plea, Fredericy admitted that he did so for the purpose of
    intimidating them because they were an inter-racial family. Fredericy also admitted
    to lying to federal investigators from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
    the federal agency that was initially charged with cleaning up the mercury and
    investigating the incident, for the purpose of keeping his unlawful actions secret.

    “Exposing individuals, particularly vulnerable young children, to toxic chemicals


    because of their race is a despicable form of intolerance,” said Wan J. Kim,
    Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “This case demonstrates
    the depravity of racial prejudice. The Department of Justice is committed to
    preventing and vigorously prosecuting these types of crimes.”

    U.S. Attorney Gregory White said this of today’s guilty plea, “Today’s guilty plea
    is the result of a joint effort by the FBI, the Cleveland Police Department, and the
    EPA, and demonstrates the commitment of both state and federal law enforcement
    authorities to protecting every citizen’s basic right to live in and enjoy his or her
    own home without fear of racial intimidation.”

    The maximum potential penalties for conviction on the conspiracy and civil rights
    charges are 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release
    following any period of incarceration, per count. The maximum term of
    imprisonment for the false statements charge is five years. A sentencing hearing has
    not yet been scheduled.
    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann C. Rowland and Trial
    Attorney Kristy L. Parker of the Civil Rights Division.

    An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent


    unless proven guilty. All defendants have the right to have their guilt or innocence
    determined by a jury of their peers following a trial. A guilty plea by one defendant
    in no way affects the ability of another defendant to exercise his right to a jury trial
    or the presumption of innocence. Prosecuting the perpetrators of bias-motivated
    crimes is a top priority of the Justice Department. Since 2001, the Civil Rights
    Division has charged 161 defendants in 102 cases of bias-motivated crimes.

    ###

    06-729

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