Mass. Man Sentenced For Threatening Black Churches

A Massachusetts man who pleaded guilty to sending letters threatening to burn black churches and NAACP offices in three states because he did not like African-American as leaders has been sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Jeffrey Smith was sentenced and released to the custody of the Department of Mental Health for services Monday because he had spent sufficient time behind bars since his July 2010 arrest.

The 46-year-old Smith had previously pleaded guilty to 11 counts of mailing letters threatening to burn down seven predominantly black churches and four NAACP offices in Cambridge, Roxbury and Medford in Massachusetts; Providence, R.I.; and Charlotte, N.C.

The letters allegedly said the author didn't like African-Americans or minorities as his office supervisors "nor I like them as President of the United States."