FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 21, 2010
Contact:
Jackeline Stewart
(202) 785-1670
Man who threatened NCLR and other Latino organizations pleads guilty in federal court
Washington, DC—NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, today hailed the U.S. Department of Justice’s victory in the ongoing “Devilfish” investigation. Vincent Johnson, known online as “Devilfish,” pled guilty to ten counts of threatening NCLR and other Latino organizations—including LatinoJustice PRLDEF, MALDEF, and LULAC—in a series of emails spanning several years.
“We want to thank the Department of Justice, especially the Civil Rights Division led by Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez and the FBI, for doggedly pursuing this investigation and prosecution,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “All Americans are entitled to express their opinions, but threatening anyone or any organization with violence, regardless of whether it’s done in person or online, should not be tolerated.”
A resident of Brick, NJ, Johnson will be sentenced in January 2011. He could face both jail time and large fines for his offenses.
“This outcome should be welcomed by all Americans who believe in promoting and protecting respect for free speech and civility. We are deeply relieved that Mr. Johnson will cease to be a threat to us and our sister organizations. Rest assured, though, that we will continue to make sure that efforts to intimidate and silence Latino organizations are appropriately addressed,” concluded Murguía.
###