Kentucky Man Charged with Federal Hate Crime and Firearm Offenses for Threats Against Palestinian American

A Kentucky man was arrested today and charged with federal hate crime and firearms offenses for threatening a Palestinian American man with a loaded gun.

According to the indictment that was unsealed this morning, on or about March 28, Melvin P. Litteral III used force or the threat of force to intimidate and interfere with the victim - a Palestinian American man and practicing Muslim identified in the indictment by the initials O.S. - because of O.S.'s race, color, religion and/or national origin, and because O.S. was enjoying the goods, services and facilities of a local restaurant. The indictment also includes a weapons charge, alleging that the defendant brandished a firearm during the offense.

If convicted of the hate crime offense, Litteral faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of the firearms charge, Litteral faces a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years in prison, to run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the hate crime offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Louisville Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Katherine G. DeVar of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.