Hardy Carroll Lloyd, 45, of Follansbee, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today to obstructing the due administration of justice.
“Hardy Lloyd attempted to obstruct the federal hate crimes trial involving the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in American history,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “His guilty plea underscores that anyone who attempts to obstruct a federal trial by threatening or intimidating jurors or witnesses will face the full force of the Justice Department.”
“It is absolutely reprehensible that the defendant threatened witnesses and jurors in the Tree of Life case, a tragedy that cost innocent lives and emotionally scarred many in the Jewish community,” the director said. of the FBI, Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate intimidation of citizens participating in our criminal justice system, and we will work with our partners to hold legally accountable anyone who threatens them or commits acts of violence against them.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lloyd admitted to making online threats against jurors and witnesses involved in the federal hate crimes trial in Pittsburgh of Robert Bowers, the Tree of Synagogue mass shooter. Life. Lloyd, a self-described “reverend” of a white supremacist movement, posted threatening messages on social media, comments on websites and emails during the trial. As part of his plea agreement, Lloyd stipulated that he intentionally chose the jury and government witnesses in the Bowers trial as targets for his offense because of the real or perceived Jewish religion of Bowers’ witnesses and victims .
If the deal is accepted by the court, Lloyd will be sentenced to 78 months in prison, which is expected to be the upper end of the sentencing range calculated under U.S. sentencing guidelines.
The FBI is investigating the matter.
First Assistant United States Attorney Randolph Bernard and Assistant United States Attorney Jarod Douglas for the Northern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
