A 27-year-old Jacksonville man admitted to pulling out his shotgun on two Black women at two different incidents last year because of their race.

He now faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a massive fine pending a judge’s sentencing.

Florida native Frederick Eugene Pierallini III pleaded guilty to two federal hate crimes on Thursday, July 6, according to a Justice Department press release.

He stated in his plea agreement he used force or a threat of force as he “willfully intimidated the victims and interfered with their enjoyment of federally protected activities because of their race and color.”

For each charge, Pierallini faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of mandatory supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000.

One of his victims was working at her job at the Daily’s Place convenience store on Saturday, Sept. 10.  The other incident happened on Monday, Sept. 12, as the second victim was sitting in her walker on the public sidewalk near 1571 University Boulevard West.

“The defendant, in this case, committed a vile assault on two women with a dangerous weapon because of their race. These actions were repugnant and endangered the women’s and the public’s safety,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida.

Source: ‘Actions Were Repugnant’: Crazed Jacksonville Man Pulls Shotgun on Two Black Women In ‘Vile’ Attacks, Faces 10 Years In Prison for Hate Crimes

The increase of hate crimes against the Black community has been an ongoing concern. Though, to me, the most despicable aspect of the spike is that some of the most hateful acts used to threaten Black people during the Jim Crow era have now resurfaced.

Axel C. Cox, 24, certainly took inspiration from history when he attempted to terrorize his Black next door neighbors.

According to the DOJ, Cox admitted to gathering his supplies to put together a cross, propping it on his yard and dousing it in motor oil to set it on fire.

He pleaded guilty to burning a cross on his front lawn to intimidate his Black neighbors, per a Department of Justice announcement. The DOJ said he violated the Fair Housing Act and committed a hate crime as he used “racially derogatory remarks” during the commission of the crime.

The only argument in his defense was that he had “overreacted” following the fatal shooting of his dog, per the SunHerald. Were the Black people next door the ones responsible? There is no evidence so far of that.

Source: Man Pleads Guilty to Burning Cross on His Yard to Threaten Black Neighbors

 “Working with the seniors to create this project has been a wonderful experience. Their stories and interests communicate the vibrancy and resilience of Times Square and New York City in general, and I hope that visitors feel this sense of connection to the city, especially after such a difficult year. I am also grateful to Encore Community Services and Times Square Arts, whose knowledge of the district has been instrumental in bringing this public art project to life,” said Christine Wong Yap.  Family Of Keyon Harrold Jr. Not Surprised That ‘SoHo Karen’ Plead Not Guilty To Felony Hate Crimes  Throughout the development of the project, senior New Yorkers have shared moving stories that celebrate their victories, moments of comfort, and happiness they have found throughout the challenges of the past year. Many seniors’ flags commemorate their pets, who have stood by their side during isolation, or recount a difficult time in their life that led them to develop strength and adversity.  

 One of the participants is 79-year-old Marjorie Deborah Conn, who says she is thrilled to have her art exhibited in Times Square. “I fell in love with Manhattan at first sight when I was 18, and my first apartment was half a block from where the flags are, Times Square, and now I have the joy of seeing my flag flying. I am so proud of myself.” Marjorie Deborah Conn’s flag is stamped with cats and dogs because, according to her, it was with whom she shared her life and her most desperate moments. “My dogs and cats rescued me, but I rescued them too. I tend to adopt special needs, battered, and elderly animals. The heart on my flag has lines that represent a heart. However, I wanted the heart to be huge because each animal made my heart grow and with it my capacity to love and have compassion for all living things.”  

 Peter Gallinari, 73 years old, immigrated from Germany  to a neighborhood in Brooklyn when he was eight years old. The neighborhood kids picked on him and beat him up. To survive, he learned English, changed his accent to sound less German and more “Brooklyn,” and made jokes. “Life taught me to be an actor. After retiring from the NYC Sanitation department, I acted in films, television, and Broadway as Peter Linari. On my flag, the Brooklyn Bridge spans the old country to the new world. It is framed by stage curtains representing my acting career. The messages I want to convey are twofold. First, no matter where you start, you can get to New York, and second, it is never too late to try something new.” Christine Wong Yap is the first artist chosen for the organization’s public artist-in-residence program of its kind. This experimental and collaborative model responds to the uniqueness of Times Square and its public art program by pairing socially engaged artists with Times Square’s massive network of businesses, nonprofits, hotels, restaurants, and people.  According to Times Square Arts Director Jean Cooney, through this work with both seniors and stitchers, Christine is forging new intersections of community in Times Square and memorializing the vulnerability, and celebrating the strength that marks this moment in time of our city and its people. “Her collaboration with Encore is modeling the ways in which artists can be powerful navigators of the challenges we are all facing right now and Times Square as a dynamic space for that work.”