Federal Jury Finds Louisville Woman Guilty of Mailing Threatening Communications to Neighbors Because of Their Race

Louisville, KY – Today a federal jury convicted a local woman of mailing communications containing threats to injure others in November and December of 2020.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Suzanne Craft, 54, sent multiple threating communications via the United States Postal Service to a family that lived in her Lake Forrest neighborhood. Many of these communications contained threats of violence and racial slurs.  The jury convicted Craft of five counts of mailing threatening communications in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 876(c).

The jury further found that for each of these five counts, Craft sent the threatening communications to her neighbors because of their actual or perceived race or color.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2023, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Craft remains in federal custody pending sentencing and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.

The FBI Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tieke and Stephanie Zimdahl are prosecuting the case, with assistance from paralegal Carissa Moss.

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