I understand the frustrations of not getting a job when you’re unemployed. It’s not a fun place to be in, especially when you’re broke. But repeatedly making racist and threatening phone calls to the place that denied you is not the way to go.
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Case in point, Joshua Leon Hiestand was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison after he continually made racist phone calls to a Black church in Billings, Mont. It all happened three years ago after he went to the church looking for a job and money, according to U.S. Department of Justice.
According to the DOJ, the primary victim in the case was a Black woman, only identified as Jane Doe. She claimed Hiestand’s messages included several racial slurs and epithets that made her “sick” and “frightened.”
More from the U.S. Department of Justice on how Hiestand’s behavior escalated
In court documents and statements in court, the government alleged that in November 2020, Hiestand, a white man, went to a church in Billings looking for a job and money. Jane Doe, an elderly African American who works at the church, gave him a gift card. Several days later, Hiestand left a voicemail for Jane Doe and, using a racial epithet, said he would give more money to the church if it did not employ an African American. The next month, Hiestand reached Jane Doe on the phone and referenced his “white friends” and, again, how he would contribute to the church if it did not employ African Americans. Hiestand’s behavior escalated. In another voicemail from Hiestand, he stated, “Nobody wants you here.”
After months of receiving the disgusting messages, Jane Doe contacted the Billings Police Departmen, hoping they’d put an end to Hiestand’s behavior and as a result, he apologized for the messages in an interview with authorities.
But despite his apology, he kept on berating the woman, according to court documents.
In August 2021, Hiestand continued to send racist voicemails including one where he told the woman,” The world is going to end because of your black ass race.”
His actions continued for another 19 months until he was arrested in June 2023, according to the DOJ.
The worst part is that the woman was not Hiestand’s only victim. During the two years that he was nonstop harassing her, the 41-year-old white man also made racist and threatening phone calls to many HBCUs in the South.
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