Chula Vista

A Chula Vista man, who pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a Jewish man who fled Nazi Germany, was sentenced Monday to three years in federal custody.

Michael Dennis Danko, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Earl B. Gilliam, who also ordered Danko to serve three years of supervised probation and to complete 100 hours of community service--preferably at the Jewish Community Center.

Danko pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy to threaten and intimidate National City pawnshop dealer David Vogel and to the unauthorized use of telephone long-distance access codes. Danko and four co-defendants, and possibly many other people, used the access codes to avoid detection as they repeatedly called Vogel over three years, investigators said.

Federal prosecutor Michael McAuliffe said in court Monday that Vogel received more than 4,000 harassing phone calls from Danko and his associates.

McAuliffe said the phone calls began in 1987, when Vogel was asked “if there were any Jews or niggers for sale.” Vogel, who received up to 10 phone calls per day, was also taunted with references to Hitler and Auschwitz, he said.

After the sentencing hearing, Vogel said he did not believe Danko’s claim that the harassment was not racially motivated.

Danko’s four co-defendants have all pleaded guilty to various charges contained in a federal indictment handed down in September. Two other South Bay men, including Danko’s brother, have been sentenced to lesser terms, and the remaining two await sentencing.