San Diego

Earl M. Maas, once accused of conspiring with his son to cover up a series of racist attacks on a black family in Normal Heights, was placed on two years’ probation Monday by a federal judge after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor counts of tax violations.

Federal prosecutors dismissed felony charges of witness intimidation and conspiracy against Maas in September. His defense attorney, Michael Pancer, described him as an upstanding businessman trapped in a “nightmare” of false accusations.

But even after the more serious charges were dropped, Assistant U.S. Atty. Lynne Lasry told U.S. District Judge Earl Gilliam that Maas had “made a very bad impression” on law enforcement agencies and was “clever about not getting caught.”

Pancer argued last month that Maas should be placed on probation, but Gilliam at that time delayed sentencing to see if the electrical contractor would keep a promise to return some property to his son’s ex-girlfriend, one of the key witnesses in the racism allegations.

Maas’ son, Michael Maas, pleaded guilty in October to three misdemeanor civil rights violations, a felony charge of threatening the ex-girlfriend, and drug-related charges. Already imprisoned for an attack on the woman, he faces an additional 10 years in prison under terms of a plea bargain.

Michael Maas admitted placing a burning cross on a black neighbor’s lawn, setting fire to the neighbors’ pickup truck and placing a racist hate letter in their mailbox.