Federal government indicts white supremacist for sending noose to Lima activist

Jason Upthegrove, president of the Lima chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

A Portland, Ore. man described as a white supremacist has been indicted by the federal government for sending a noose to an African-American community activist in Lima, Ohio.

Daniel Lee Jones, 32, was arrested for allegedly mailing the hangman's noose to Jason Upthegrove, president of the Lima chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Thursday.

Mr. Jones, who was a regional director of a group that advocated white supremacist ideology, is charged with sending the package to Mr. Upthegrove's home Feb. 14, 2008 to intimidate him and interfere with his right to advocate for equal police services for African-Americans.

Jason Upthegrove, president of the Lima chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

A noose is "an unmistakable symbol of hatred and violence in our nation, conjuring up images of a despicable period in our history," said Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division.

The incident occurred in the aftermath of the Jan. 4, 2008 shooting of Tarika Wilson, an African-American, by a white Lima police officer during a drug raid at Wilson's home. Wilson, 26, was killed and her 1-year-old son injured in the gunfire.

She was not armed, and the incident prompted controversy over what some believe was unfair targeting of African-Americans by the mostly white city police department.

Sgt. Joseph Chavalia, who fired the shots, was indicted on misdemeanor charges of negligent homicide and negligent assault but was acquitted by a jury in Allen County Common Pleas Court.