Attack On Black Family In Largo By Riverview Man Was Hate Crime: Jury

TAMPA, FL — A federal jury has returned a guilty vertdict against a 29-year-old Riverview man for committing a racially motivated attack against a Black man who was driving down Bryan Dairy Road in Largo with his family.

Jordan Patrick Leahy faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, according to Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's civil rights division.

The Department of Justice said Leahy was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

At the trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlton Gammons for the Middle District of Florida and trial attorneys David Reese and Laura-Kate Bernstein of the DOJ civil rights division introduced evidence that, on Aug. 8, 2021, Leahy came upon the Black man, identified as J.T., who was coming home from a Sunday afternoon family gathering with his daughter and girlfriend.

According to the DOJ, Leahy began threatening J.T., yelling racial slurs and trying to force J.T.'s car off the road.

FBI Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI's Tampa field office, who investigated the case, said Leahy pursued J.T. and his family for nearly 1 1/2 miles before sideswiping J.T.'s car as J.T. attempted to get away from him.

Walker said Leahy then sped away but was forced to stop at a stoplight at the intersection of Bryan Dairy and Starkey roads. While Leahy was still waiting for the light to turn green, J.T. pulled up behind him.

See related story: Man Accused Of Attacking Black Driver, Threatening Mass Shooting

According to court testimony, Leahy put his car in park, got out and approached J.T.'s car, yelling racial slurs. Leahy then punched J.T., who used a submission hold to prevent Leahy's attack.

Pinellas County sheriff's deputies then responded to the 911 call J.T. made on his cell phone and took Leahy into custody.

Deputies testified that Leahy, who they determined was intoxicated, continued to yell racial slurs at J.T. and a witness to the incident.

Leahy told deputies that he "wanted to fight a random colored person" and told deputies to get Black people under control, calling them “savage animals" who should be kept "in their areas."

After being taken into custody, Leahy told deputies that people would be surprised at how easy it would be for him to commit a mass shooting. He said he wanted to shoot 60 to 70 people in the face and then kill himself with a gunshot to the neck, saying it would be “the most fulfilling thing he would experience in life."

Leahy, who had been released from state prison in April 2021 after being convicted in 2019 of aggravated stalking, was charged with driving under the influence involving property damage, threatening to commit a mass shooting and felony battery.

However, Pinellas County Sheriff's Bob Gualtieri said he would look into the possibility of charging Leahy with a hate crime, a charge that carries harsher penalties.

The Department of Justice's civil rights division examined the case and agreed Leahy's actions met the criteria for a federal hate crime.

“Across America, families must be able to freely travel our public streets without fear of being attacked because of race,” said Clarke. “This verdict should send a strong message that the Department of Justice remains firmly committed to prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law those who would use violence to enforce heinous racist beliefs.”

“No one should be targeted, threatened, intimidated or assaulted because of their race,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg of the Middle District of Florida federal court in Tampa. “The defendant in this case acted upon his bigoted beliefs and put an entire family and others’ safety at risk. We and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners will not tolerate such behaviors in our community.”

Walker encourages anyone who believes their civil rights have been violated to contact the Tampa FBI office.

“Hate crimes are not just an attack on an individual, they are an attack on entire communities,” he said. “We want to assure the public the FBI will work diligently investigating crimes driven by hate and intolerance."