PORTLAND, Maine — A Lewiston man was sentenced Wednesday to two-and-a-half years in federal prison for after being convicted of a charge stemming from racist death threats made against his neighbor and his neighbor's family.
The sentencing comes after 47-year-old Charles Barnes previously pleaded guilty to one count of threatening communications in interstate commerce.
Barnes admitted to sending a Facebook voice message in 2022 to the friend of his neighbor, who was referred to by her initials in court as K.T.
In the voice message, Barnes said he was outside K.T.'s house and would kill anyone who emerged, even her kids. Barnes repeatedly used racial slurs when speaking about the victims.
"Been parked outside of her apartment since early this morning waiting for someone to step outside…" Barnes said in the recording according to a Lewiston Police Department report. "The first one that does is gonna die… I don't care if it's her kid or her… I don’t care I'm killing me a…," Barnes said before issuing racist comment.
In court, the judge called the statements "shocking and vile."
In addition to his sentence, Barnes will get three years of supervised release. He's set to report to prison in October.
Darci McElwee, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine said she wants this sentence to send a message.
"We are hopeful that this strong sentence issued by the court today sends a message both to the victim in Maine who may have had similar experiences of this type of this type of racism ... that we are here, we are here to pursue justice for them," McElwee told NEWS CENTER Maine. "In addition, we want to send a message to people who may be inclined to engage in similar behavior, that we are here prepared to prosecute them."
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a news release Wednesday afternoon on behalf of the sentencing.
“Violent and racially motivated threats have no place in our society,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “This defendant, a self-described racist skinhead, used social media to terrorize his innocent neighbors because they are Black. This sentence cannot undo the fear and trauma his hateful actions caused but should make clear that online threats come with real-world penalties. The Justice Department is steadfast in enforcing our federal civil rights laws to ensure all communities, including communities of color, are protected from hate-fueled threats of violence.”
The release also stated that new evidence was shared at the sentencing that further supported the court finding that Barnes' long-held racist beliefs motivated him to target people based on race. The new court evidence also claimed Barnes was documented sitting outside the neighbor's home after he sent the message and was "armed with a large knife," which the release said led to an enhanced sentencing.