New York Paralegal Blog

WASHINGTON –Jeremy Matthew Moro, 33, and Joshua James Moro, 23, have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter following their January 2011, guilty pleas to conspiring to violate the civil rights of an interracial couple by burning a cross near their home in Athens, La., in October 2008. Sonya Marie Hart, 31, was sentenced today following her January 2011, guilty plea to withholding information from the FBI regarding the defendants’ attempt to cover-up the cross-burning. The Moros’ cousin, Daniel Danforth, was previously convicted by a federal jury for organizing, carrying out, and attempting to cover up the same cross-burning. Jeremy Moro was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release; Joshua Moro was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release; Sonya Hart was sentenced to three years of supervised probation. The defendants’ co-conspirator, Daniel Danforth, was previously se...

WASHINGTON – Kenneth Stiffey Jr. of Robinson, Penn., pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge related to the burning of a cross in the yard of an African-American victim in November 2009, the Justice Department announced today. Stiffey, 21, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with the housing rights of another in federal court in Pittsburgh before Senior U.S. District Judge Maurice B. Cohill. Information presented during the plea hearing established that a cross burning occurred on Nov. 14, 2009, at a residence in Robinson that was home to a family with three minor children, one of whom is African-American. The investigation revealed that Stiffey and his co-conspirators agreed to burn a cross in the backyard of the home of the African-American minor victim. After the cross was constructed and doused in accelerant, Stiffey transported the 6-foot wooden cross to a garage owned by Stiffey’s family. Together with co-conspirators, Stiffey carried the cross into his garage and supp...

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced that U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter accepted the guilty plea of Jeremy Matthew Moro, 33, for conspiring to burn a cross near the home of an interracial couple in Athens, La., in October 2008. Earlier this week, Judge Walter accepted the guilty plea of Joshua James Moro, 25, on the same charge. Another defendant, Sonya Marie Hart, 31, pleaded guilty on Jan. 31, 2011, to misprision of a felony because she withheld information from the FBI regarding the defendants’ attempt to cover up the cross burning. The Moros’ cousin, Daniel Danforth, was previously convicted by a federal jury for organizing, carrying out and attempting to cover up the same cross burning.