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JOHNSTOWN, PA—A resident of CentreCounty, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of interferingwith housing, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Ryan M. Held, a/k/a Ryan M. Foley, 21,of 133 Hemlock Street in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to twocounts before United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, thecourt was advised that on August 20, 2010, Held, by force and threat of force,willfully intimidated and interfered with two minor victims, one of whom was anAfrican-American male, because of his race and because he was occupying adwelling; and one of whom was a female who was and had been lawfully allowingsuch African-American male, a friend, to occupy the dwelling in which sheresided. During the afternoon of August 20, Held drove past the female victim’shome in Woodland, Pennsylvania, and saw her socializing with a few friends, oneof whom was African-American. Just before midnight, Held returned to theproperty and placed a cross in the front yard of the female victim,approximately 60 feet from the entry to her home, and set it on fire for thepurpose of intimidating and interfering with her and her African-Americanfriend. Held spent a few minutes laying in the woods bordering the propertywatching the cross burn and waiting to see if anyone emerged from theresidence.
“Every citizen has the right to be safein their own home, free from racial intolerance and intimidation,” said U.S.Attorney Hickton. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecutecriminals whose actions are driven by bigotry and hate.”
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing forFebruary 7, 2013, at 10 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 yearsin prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal SentencingGuidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of theoffenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Judge Gibson revoked bond and orderedHeld detained pending the sentencing proceeding.
Assistant United States Attorney CarolynJ. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government, together withTrial Attorney Roy Conn of the Civil Rights Division of the Department ofJustice.
The Federal Bureau of Investigationconducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Held.
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