Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime
A man who set fire to a Pakistani family’s business two days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal hate crime.
James Herrick, 31, of Salt Lake City, admitted pouring gasoline and igniting it on Sept. 13 at the Curry in a Hurry restaurant, charring a plywood wall.
“I got upset over what happened and did something very stupid,” Herrick told U.S. Magistrate Ronald Boyce. Herrick said he was motivated by hatred against Muslims.
His plea could reduce his federal sentence from 10 years to four, said his attorney, Tom Rasmussen. He still faces an aggravated arson charge in state court.
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