Man Sentenced in Connection with Arson at Planned Parenthood and Vandalism of Mosque in Madera, California

WASHINGTON—Donny Eugene Mower, 38, of Madera, Calif., was sentenced in federal court today following his October 2011 guilty pleas to one count of arson, one count of damaging religious property and one count of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to damage the property of a reproductive health services facility. These charges stem from Mower’s lighting a fire inside a Planned Parenthood clinic and throwing a brick at a mosque in Madera.

Mower was sentenced by Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Mower was also ordered to pay more than $26,000 in restitution.

When Mower pleaded guilty in October 2011, he admitted that in the early morning hours of Sep. 2, 2010, he constructed a Molotov cocktail by stuffing a fuel-soaked cloth into a beer bottle. He then drove to Madera Planned Parenthood Clinic, lit the Molotov cocktail, and threw it through a ground-floor window of the clinic. As a result of the ensuing fire, the clinic sustained more than $26,000 of damage and had to close for two days. Mower also acknowledged that on Aug. 20, 2010, two days after placing a sign in front of Masjid Madera that read “No temple for the god of terrorism at ground zero. ANB,” he threw a brick at the front of the mosque and damaged its facade. On Aug. 24, 2010, Mower left additional signs at the mosque, stating “Wake up America, the enemy is here” and “American Nationalist Brotherhood.” Mower admitted that he threw the brick at Masjid Madera because of the race, color, or ethnic characteristics of the individuals associated with the mosque.

“This sentence sends a powerful message that the Justice Department will not tolerate violent interference with the lawful work of reproductive health clinics or attacks on places of worship of all faiths,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice remains committed to protecting our communities from such violence and will continue to aggressively prosecute these acts.”

“Those who resort to threats and violence to intimidate others in the free exercise of their rights will attract the full force of federal law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner for the Eastern District of California. “Mr. Mower not only attempted to burn a clinic that lawfully provided reproductive health services, he tried to intimidate and incite hatred against Muslim Americans. As the sentence imposed today indicates, victims of such offenses have an ally not only in the Justice Department, but in federal law.”

This case was investigated by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Madera Police Department and the Madera County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Landau for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Chiraag Bains from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Man Sentenced in Connection with Arson at Planned Parenthood and Vandalism of Mosque in Madera, California

Donny Eugene Mower, 38, of Madera, Calif., was sentenced in federal court today following his October 2011 guilty pleas to one count of arson, one count of damaging religious property and one count of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to damage the property of a reproductive health services facility. These charges stem from Mower’s lighting a fire inside a Planned Parenthood clinic and throwing a brick at a mosque in Madera.

Mower was sentenced by Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Mower was also ordered to pay more than $26,000 in restitution.

When Mower pleaded guilty in October 2011, he admitted that in the early morning hours of Sep. 2, 2010, he constructed a Molotov cocktail by stuffing a fuel-soaked cloth into a beer bottle. He then drove to Madera Planned Parenthood Clinic, lit the Molotov cocktail, and threw it through a ground-floor window of the clinic. As a result of the ensuing fire, the clinic sustained more than $26,000 of damage and had to close for two days.   Mower also acknowledged that on Aug. 20, 2010, two days after placing a sign in front of Masjid Madera that read “No temple for the god of terrorism at ground zero. ANB,” he threw a brick at the front of the mosque and damaged its facade. On Aug. 24, 2010, Mower left additional signs at the mosque, stating “Wake up America, the enemy is here” and “American Nationalist Brotherhood.”   Mower admitted that he threw the brick at Masjid Madera because of the race, color or ethnic characteristics of the individuals associated with the mosque.

 “This sentence sends a powerful message that the Justice Department will not tolerate violent interference with the lawful work of reproductive health clinics or attacks on places of worship of all faiths,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.  “The Department of Justice remains committed to protecting our communities from such violence and will continue to aggressively prosecute these acts.”

“Those who resort to threats and violence to intimidate others in the free exercise of their rights will attract the full force of federal law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner for the Eastern District of California.  “Mr. Mower not only attempted to burn a clinic that lawfully provided reproductive health services, he tried to intimidate and incite hatred against Muslim Americans.  As the sentence imposed today indicates, victims of such offenses have an ally not only in the Justice Department, but in federal law.”

This case was investigated by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Madera Police Department and the Madera County Sheriff’s Department.   The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Landau for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Chiraag Bains from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violations in Connection with Arson at Planned Parenthood and Vandalism of Mosque in Madera, California

WASHINGTON—Donny Eugene Mower, 38, of Madera, Calif., pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of arson, one count of damaging religious property and one count of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to damage the property of a reproductive health services facility. These charges stem from Mower’s lighting a fire inside a Planned Parenthood clinic and throwing a brick at a mosque in Madera.

During his plea, Mower admitted that in the early morning hours of Sept. 2, 2010, he constructed a Molotov cocktail by stuffing a fuel-soaked cloth into a beer bottle. He then drove to Madera Planned Parenthood Clinic, lit the Molotov cocktail, and threw it through a ground-floor window of the clinic. As a result of the ensuing fire, the clinic sustained more than $26,000 of damage and had to close for two days.

Mower also acknowledged that on Aug. 20, 2010, two days after placing a sign in front of Masjid Madera, a local mosque, that read “No temple for the god of terrorism at ground zero. ANB,” he threw a brick at the front of the mosque and damaged its facade. On Aug. 24, 2010, Mower left additional signs at the mosque, stating “Wake up America, the enemy is here” and “American Nationalist Brotherhood.” Mower admitted that he threw the brick at Masjid Madera because of the race, color, or ethnic characteristics of the individuals associated with the mosque.

“Interference with the lawful work of reproductive health clinics will not be tolerated; nor will attacks directed at places of worship because of the perceived ethnicity of those who worship there,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute those who carry out these acts.”

“We will vigorously safeguard the right of Muslim Americans to practice their religion free from the fear of intimidation, and the right of reproductive health centers to conduct their activities free from violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ben Wagner for the Eastern District of California. “Donny Mower’s campaign of hate and intimidation is over, but the work of the U.S. Justice Department in protecting constitutional rights is unending.”

Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2012. Mower faces a prison sentence of five to 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the arson charge. He also faces sentences of up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, or both, on the damaging religious property and FACE Act charges.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Madera Police Department and the Madera County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Landau for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Chiraag Bains from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

U.S. Marshals Central Valley Joint Fugitive Task Force (CVJFTF) arrests Bisente Garcia

San Jose – U.S. Marshal Albert Najera, of the Eastern District of California, announced today that the U.S. Marshals Central Valley Joint Fugitive Task Force (CVJFTF) arrested Bisente Garcia.  This fugitive was wanted by Madera Police Department for Attempted Homicide, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) for violating his conditions of parole.  

On May 8, 2011, the victim in this case was standing at the corner of 4th and Lake St in Madera, CA when a female approached him asking to borrow a pen.  As the victim spoke with the female, it is alleged that Garcia approached the two driving a blue Dodge Durango; he then exited the vehicle and began shouting obscenities.  Witnesses reported that Garcia then stabbed the victim in the chest.  After the incident both Garcia and the female drove away in the Durango. 

On July 18, 2011, California State Parole Agents, members of the CVJFTF, received information that Garcia may have relocated to the city of San Jose, CA.  The task force officers were briefed about this new information, and traveled from Fresno to San Jose in an effort to locate and arrest this fugitive.  The task force received assistance from Deputy U.S. Marshals in the Northern District of California.  After further investigation, deputies learned about a possible location that subject may have frequented.  While conducting surveillance, a task force officer observed a group of males just outside of the residence in an underground garage.  One of the males matched the fugitive’s description, so the team decided to approach the group to conduct interviews.  As the team moved in, they immediately identified one of the subject’s as Garcia and placed him under arrest.  A search uncovered a knife in the subject’s pants pocket. 

Garcia was transported to Madera Police Department where he was booked on outstanding charges.                      

The Central Valley Joint Fugitive Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-sponsored partnership comprised of investigators from federal, state, and local agencies.  The main objective of the task force is to seek out and arrest fugitives charged with violent crimes, drug crimes, sex offenders, and other felonies.  More fugitives are arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service than all other federal agencies combined. In 2010 investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals Service resulted in the apprehension of over 36, 000 federal fugitives and more than 81,000 state and local fugitives on felony charges.