TAMPA, Fla. — The Department of Justice announced Tuesday the sentencing of a man who was found guilty of attacking a Black driver with his car back in 2021 in Seminole.
Jordan Leahy, 29, was sentenced in federal court to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Leahy was convicted of willfully intimidating and interfering with the driver and attempting to injure, intimidate and interfere through the use of a dangerous weapon – which, in this case, was a car.
The DOJ explains evidence provided shows that back on Aug. 8, 2021, Leahy came across the Black man while driving on a public road. He reportedly started to shout racial slurs at the man and even tried to force his car off the road.
The driver's girlfriend and 4-year-old daughter were in the car at the time of the incident.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said at the time that Leahy sideswiped the Black driver's car and began using the Nazi salute while pretending to shoot him. Investigators say Leahy also got out of his car and punched the driver in the chest before being subdued by the man.
Once Pinellas County deputies were on scene, officials say the 29-year-old made "numerous statements evidencing his bias motive, including telling the officers that Black people need to be kept 'in their areas.'"
While in custody, the affidavit said he later told authorities he wanted to commit a mass shooting of 70 to 80 people before taking his own life. He added that he was "a sheltered white citizen and society needs to be concerned about how easily he can conduct a mass shooting," the affidavit said.
“This federal court has sentenced Jordan Leahy to prison for his decision to weaponize his vehicle in a racist attack on J.T.’s family,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement. “The department will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to threaten and intimidate our community members because of their race. All persons should be free to travel on the public roadways without fear of being harmed because of who they are.”
Special Agent in Charge David Walker for the FBI Tampa Field Division said in a statement that hate-motivated crimes are not allowed in the communities.
"Investigating civil rights violations is among the FBI’s highest priorities and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect communities from hateful acts of bias," he said in part.
Previous 10 Tampa Bay reporting contributed to this story.
