A teen put a black classmate as a 'slave for sale' on Craigslist. Now, hate crime charges
A 14-year-old from Naperville, Illinois has been charged with a hate crime after allegedly posting an image of an African American classmate on Craigslist with the caption, “Slave for sale.”
The juvenile appeared in DuPage County court Wednesday in Wheaton, Illinois — about 30 miles west of Chicago. He is charged with two counts of committing a hate crime and one count of disorderly conduct.
Police began investigating Monday when they became aware of the incident, according
to a joint statement from Naperville Police Department and the DuPage County State's Attorney Office.
Assistant State’s Attorney Lee Roupas said the teen took the photo of the classmate, also 14, last week while the two sat at the same lunch table at Naperville Central High School, and later posted it on Craigslist.
Prosecutors allege the teen included “an offensive racial slur” in the ad that they called “beyond disturbing.”
The teen's actions, prosecutors said, risked the victim's safety. They condemned the post as "serious and aggravating."
“Hate crimes have no place in our society and will not be tolerated,”
the county’s State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin said in a statement. “Anyone, regardless of age, accused of such disgraceful actions will be charged accordingly.”
Attorney Harry Smith, who is representing the two juveniles, said the two were friends.
Naperville Central principal William Wiesbrook is “getting the two friends together” to coordinate an apology, according to the Associated Press. Meanwhile, the student is currently serving an in-school suspension.
Wiesbrook did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.
Paul Darrah, a spokesman for the state’s attorney office, said that the aim for juveniles is “accountability, not punishment,” though the student is “going to face probation at a minimum," per the Associated Press.
Last month,
black customers celebrating a child's birthday party at a Naperville Buffalo Wild Wings were told to change their tables after a customer said that they did not "want to sit near black people." Two employees involved were fired.
Earlier this year,
a clerk at a Naperville gas station was captured on video telling Hispanic customers that they “need to go back to their country.” He was also fired.
He is due back in court Dec. 18.
