West Allis Man Pleads Guilty To Intimidating Black Residents: DOJ

WEST ALLIS, WI — A West Allis man on Thursday pleaded guilty to two charges after federal authorities said he left racist notes and vandalized a vehicle in an effort to intimidate Black residents at his apartment building, U.S. Attorney Gregory Haanstad said in a news release.

William McDonald, 45, pleaded guilty to a felony count and a misdemeanor count of intimidating and interfering with Black residents because of their race and because they were exercising their right to fair housing, according to the U.S. attorney's news release. Court records said McDonald admitted to vandalizing a Black woman's vehicle outside of her apartment in 2021 by slashing its tires, smashing the windshield and leaving a note filled with racist slurs and threats of violence, according to Haanstad's news release.

The note had demanded the woman move away from West Allis, according to the release. She wasn't the only one affected by McDonald, the news release said.

Another Black woman moved into McDonald's apartment complex with two children in April 2022, Haanstad said. But shortly after moving in, the family was faced with racist graffiti on their door and demands to leave, according to the news release.

“No one should feel unsafe in their home or be subjected to harmful and derogatory threats because of the color of their skin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in the news release. “The Justice Department will continue to protect the housing rights of all individuals and vigorously prosecute those who use racially-charged threats to drive people from their homes.”

McDonald is expected back in court in late June for sentencing. He faces up to 11 years in prison.

“The conduct at issue in this case strikes at the very core of the civil rights guaranteed to every American citizen under federal law,” Haanstad said in the release. “I commend the courage of those targeted by Mr. McDonald for coming forward. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with all our federal, state and local partners to hold individuals who violate the civil rights of others fully accountable under federal law.”