Maryland man sentenced to 15 months for threats against Black and Muslim communities

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, June 29 (Reuters) – A Maryland man was sentenced by a judge on Monday to 15 months in federal prison for making online threats, particularly toward Black and Muslim communities, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Here are some details:

• U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson sentenced Raymond Pumphrey, 47, to 15 months, followed by three years of supervised release, the DOJ said in a statement.

• According to his guilty plea, Pumphrey made a series of threatening posts on YouTube and other social media sites to spread hateful rhetoric, especially against Black and Muslim communities, the DOJ said.

• He advocated for and threatened to participate in the killing of Black people in many large U.S. cities, according to the DOJ.

• He further threatened to kill multiple politicians and members of their families, it added.

• Rights advocates have over the years warned about online racism against Black Americans due to factors like white supremacy and gaps in online content moderation.

• They have also noted rising Islamophobia over the years, attributing it to the September 11, 2001 attacks; and more recently to anti-immigration policies, white supremacy and the fallout of Israel’s war ​in Gaza.

• U.S. political experts have separately warned about political violence amid rising polarization in the country.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)