WASHINGTON - William A. “Bill” White, the self-proclaimed Commander of the neo-Nazi group the American National Socialist Workers Party, was indicted by a federal grand jury for threatening five individuals and for attempting to intimidate litigants in a federal housing discrimination lawsuit, the Justice Department announced today.

          White, who was also recently indicted in the Northern District of Illinois for soliciting the murder of a former federal juror, was charged with five counts of communicating threats in interstate commerce, one count of communicating an extortionate threat in interstate commerce, and one count of witness intimidation.  

                According to the indictment, from late 2006 through mid 2008, White targeted individuals with whom he disagreed on either racial issues, or, in one instance, for personal reasons.  The indictment alleges a pattern of communications which resulted in the victims fearing for their personal safety.  These alleged communications included late night telephone calls to the victims’ homes, during which he would identify himself as the leader of a white supremacist group; emails to the victims in which he would make threatening statements; and posting the victims’ names, addresses, phone numbers, and other personal information on neo-Nazi Web sites, sometimes accompanied by language advocating the murder of the targeted victim.  In one instance, White allegedly sought a personal financial benefit from his threats.  In another instance, he allegedly sent letters to the homes of individuals involved in a federal housing discrimination suit.  These letters allegedly included racial epithets and caused the victims to feel that they may suffer dire consequences for their participation in the lawsuit.

        If found guilty of communicating threats in interstate commerce, White faces a maximum punishment of five years in prison for each count of the indictment.  If found guilty of communicating extortionate threats in interstate commerce, White faces a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.  If found guilty of witness intimidation, White faces a maximum punishment of ten years in prison.  Each of the aforementioned charges also entails a potential fine of up to $250,000.

The case was investigated by Special Agent David Church of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bondurant from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Special Legal Counsel Barry Kowalski and Special Litigation Counsel Paige Fitzgerald from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.