Less Serious Penalties for Other Two Defendants in Hate Crime Case

Negotiated pleas have been reached in the final two cases stemming from an alleged hate crime incident in Altamont in 2012, and the defendants received much less severe penalties than the first defendant to settle their case.

Justin Antrim of Teutopolis Thursday pleaded guilty to a count of disorderly conduct for his role in a beating incident in which a black man was injured.  Earlier felony counts including hate crime were dismissed in exchange for the guilty plea to disorderly conduct and Antrim was sentenced to time served.  Antrim was also ordered to make restitution of more than $9,400 to the victim.

Earlier in March, Kevin Gasper of Effingham pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in the incident and was sentenced to time served.  Gasper served 30 days while Antrim served 10 days.

Gasper and Antrim's cases were handled by Special Prosecutor David Rands of the State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor Service since State's Attorney Bryan Kibler had served as defense counsel to one of the defendants prior to taking office in December.

Earlier in the case, a third defendant William Coleman of Watson, pleaded guilty to a felony count and was sentenced to five years in prison.