CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (BNO NEWS) – An Illinois man pleaded guilty and was sentenced for violating civil rights, prosecutors said Thursday.

Joseph L. Brown, 27, of Belleville, Illinois, and another planned to frighten and intimidate several individuals on March 29, 2003, two of whom were African-American, by spray painting racial threats and derogatory names on the outside of the individuals’ home.

Brown had previously tried to amass a group of young people and form a racial group or gang, telling the others that he was angry that African-Americans were living on the same street that he lived, and that a white woman lived there with the African-Americans.

Initial FBI interviews with Brown resulted in false claims as he assured that he was not involved in the incident and did not know anyone who might be.

Brown was sentenced to a total of 78 months of imprisonment (to be served consecutively to his current state sentence) and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $250, a $225 special assessment, and $140 in restitution to a victim of the offense.

“It is my hope that this prosecution and sentence will send a clear message that illegal conduct designed to threaten or intimidate members of minority groups or any attempt to interfere with their free exercise of rights guaranteed to all Americans will not be tolerated in the Southern District of Illinois,” U.S. Attorney Courtney Cox said.