Holiday Man Facing Civil Rights Violation For Family Threats

HOLIDAY, FL -- A 58-year-old Holiday man arrested Jan. 23 by the Pasco County Sheriff's Office for harassing an Iraqi-American family in his neighborhood is now facing a federal criminal civil rights violation charge.

David Allen Boileau was arrested last week on a federal criminal complaint charging him with interference with a right to fair housing and obstruction of justice though witness tampering. If convicted, Boileau faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the criminal civil rights violation and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for witness tampering.

Boileau was accused of burglarizing the home of a woman with four small children who lives in his neighborhood.

Boileau admitted to deputies that he entered the family's home through an unlocked door while the family was out. He then rifled through the family's mailbox and saw some immigration paperwork. At that point, he was confronted by a neighbor who called the sheriff's office.

The homeowner said he stole a purse containing credit and gift cards.

Prior to this incident, neighbors said Boileau made disparaging comments about the family to his neighbors and the homeowner said he threw screws at her brother-in-law's car.

Upon his arrest, deputies said he expressed his dislike for people of Middle Eastern descent and said if he doesn't get rid of them, Trump will handle it.

According to the complaint, Boileau engaged in conduct over the course of several months intended to threaten and intimidate the Iraqi-American family so that they would move out of their neighborhood and, more broadly, leave the United States.

The family, now naturalized United States citizens, immigrated to the United States from Iraq in 2015 through a refugee visa. They've lived in the Holiday neighborhood for three years.

An affidavit from the FBI noted that Boileau made several bigoted statements regarding the family’s national origin and religion, referring to them as “ISIS” and an “eyesore to this country."

Witnesses told the FBI that, on one occasion, Boileau yelled at the family to get out of his neighborhood and country.

Boileau said his goal was to “take care of that family” and “clean up America," according to the FBI investigation. Boileau also threatened to physically harm witnesses who reported his conduct to the sheriff's office.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

See related story: Pasco Sheriff To Pursue Hate Crime Charges Against Holiday Man