Man Gets Jail Time For Threatening Miami Area Mosque

MIAMI, FL — A 35-year-old man who threatened to shoot members of a Miami Gardens mosque was sentenced on Wednesday to spend a year and a day in prison by a federal judge. Gerard Wallace also was ordered to three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Marcia G. Cooke. The 35-year-old had faced a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The sentence was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg in Miami. Wallace pleaded guilty in October to one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs for making the threatening call.

"During the plea hearing, Wallace admitted that on the evening of Feb. 19, he left a voicemail message for the Islamic Center of Greater Miami, located in Miami Gardens, Florida," according to federal prosecutors. "The defendant admitted leaving a hate-filled and profanity laden message against Islam, the prophet Mohammed, and the Koran, during which he threatened to go to the mosque, and stated, 'I’m gonna shoot all y'all.'"

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force and the Miami Gardens Police Department.

“Our Constitution and laws guarantee all people — regardless of where they worship — the right to live free from violence and discrimination,” said Gore. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute those who commit violent acts of hate by threat or action.”

Greenberg added that hate crimes violate America's most fundamental principles.

“Today, Wallace was sentenced for depriving the Islamic Center’s congregants of the right to freely exercise their religion," he said. "This office will continue to aggressively prosecute hate crimes in order to protect those in our community who would otherwise fall victim to discriminatory violence.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry C. Wallace, Jr. of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division.

Photo courtesy Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse