Lombard man gets probation for hate crime

A Lombard man has been sentenced to probation for committing an anti-Muslim hate crime.

Larry York was sentenced Tuesday to 180 days in jail, 30 months of probation and 200 hours of community service, according to DuPage County court records.

He pleaded guilty Nov. 20 to one count of felony hate crime.

York was accused of threatening two people on Oct. 17, 2023. He approached a man who was waiting for a friend in a car in front of York’s apartment building, a prosecutor said at a pretrial detention hearing when York was arrested.

York knocked repeatedly on a passenger window, asked the man what he was doing there, and then told the man he didn't belong there and should leave America, the prosecutor said.

York then went into the building and, as the friend tried to exit, York yelled profanities at him and threatened to slam the door in his face.

When the two men were at a bench outside, York yelled profanities at them and said, "I'll shoot you. Get out of here," and "Go, go (expletive) ... This is America ... get the (expletive) out of here," according to the prosecutor. He lifted one end of the bench, causing one of the victims to fall off.

When York was arrested the next day, he told police that "World War III was coming and he had to protect his building from Muslims and Arabs" and that he "knew they didn't belong because they were dark-skinned Muslims." He also told police the victims were spies, the prosecutor said.

York told the judge that he had Muslim friends.

The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations praised prosecutors and Lombard police.

“This conviction sends a clear message that targeting individuals because they are Muslim will NOT be tolerated in Illinois,” said Hafsa Haider, Communications Director of CAIR-Chicago, in a news release.

“Lombard is home to a vibrant and growing Muslim community that contributes greatly to the cultural richness of the area.”

York has been given credit for the 47 days he spent in jail pretrial. He has to serve at least 50% of his jail sentence before being eligible for release.