Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for breaking into Mosque and vandalising it

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/12/06/mosque-vandalism-hate-crime-bacon/926811001/

A Florida man who broke into a mosque and left a slab of raw bacon now faces 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges, the state attorney's office said.

Michael Wolfe, 37, of Titusville, Fla., will serve 15 years in state prison, followed by 15 years probation for the January 2016 crime at the Islamic Society of Central Florida Masjid Al-Munin Mosque in Titusville.

Prosecutors said the agreement was reached after discussions with the Islamic Society of Central Florida and Titusville police. “He entered a plea deal and plead guilty to vandalizing the mosque itself with hate crime enhancement, making it a felony,” said Todd Brown, a spokesman for the State Attorney’s Office. “He waived his right to a pre-sentencing investigation.”

Police said Wolfe broke into the mosque, ripping down lights, smashing windows and leaving behind the pork product. Pork — including bacon and ham — is prohibited in Islam, a faith followed by 1.6 billion people worldwide. Wolfe also offered to the court the fact that he was a habitual offender, Brown said.

(edited 6 years ago)

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Too bloody right!

Welp....he gone screwed his whole life with a single bacon....wow v-v

Reply 3

username3650628

I don't condone what he did, but 15 years? Rapists and murderers get less to no sentence at all.

Reply 4

Bored123456789

What an absolute joke. 15 years??? People convicted of much worse crimes get less time than that.

"Vandalizing" "Hate crime" If he was violent towards Muslims or physically damaged the Mosque (e.g. fire etc.) it would make more sense, but for leaving bacon? What a ****ing joke.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 5

Napp

He might be a **** womble but thats more than the going rate for your average murder...

Reply 6

Ninja Squirrel

Original post by Chaz254

Original post by Napp

He might be a **** womble but thats more than the going rate for your average murder...

Remember the U.S often hand out far worse sentences in general. Murder is typically life without parole... Rape and armed robbery can also be life without parole or 25+ years.

We don't know his history, maybe he had had prior convictions for other hate crimes.

Reply 7

SWCoffee

Damn, and he pleaded guilty.

Sucks that he's being made an example of.

The maximum sentence for:

Placing explosives with intent to cause bodily injury Offences against the Person Act 1861 s.30 14 years

*Places Bacon in a mosque*
*Gets 15 Years*

I'm not saying he should not have been jailed, but 15 years is too excessive. 5 Years (Max) would have been fine.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 10

Huw M Thomas

All that bacon. What a waste.

Reply 11

Notoriety

It is because he was a Habitual Felony Offender. http://sa18.org/press/id/454 Plenty of US states have strict punishments for repeat offenders, with the so-called "three strikes" rules. The story here is not that it's bacon -- by all means, he went to a mosque with a machete and doesn't deserve any sympathy -- rather the story is that the state of Florida does not tolerate felony recidivists.

It looks like he could have been given 30 years for it! https://www.richardhornsby.com/criminal/sentencing/enhancements.html#

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 12

Ninja Squirrel

Original post by Notorious_B.I.G.

Appreciate you adding further clarification to the story.

Reply 13

PTMalewski

Original post by Ninja Squirrel

The best "proof" that Allah exists I've seen so far.

Reply 14

LRxS

He broke in... and he may well have a history of crime, racially-motivated violence, or even have violated probation. So I agree it’s excessive but there is a reason, not just because he left bacon behind.

Reply 15

It's****ingWOODY

Isn't the maximum sentence for armed robbery like 10 years?

Reply 16

Trapz99

Good, there should be zero tolerance for hate crimes like this. 15-20 years would be a good deterrent

Reply 17

math42

He does not deserve a single second in prison. This action harms nobody. Obviously breaking into anywhere is a serious crime, but when you do not steal anything or do any remote damage, I cannot reasonably say that you have done anything warranting jail time. This is patently absurd.