WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia man will spend the next several years in federal prison after being convicted of a hate crime earlier this year.
This week, William Charles Franklin, 37 was sentenced to five years and five months in federal prison after being found guilty of mail obstruction, assault on a federal officer and more. He was also found guilty of hate crimes for several of his charges.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Franklin will also have three years of supervised release and pay $5,101.74 in restitution.
According to court documents, Franklin was recorded threatening a letter carrier in Washington County in June 2024.
In the video, Franklin can be heard shouting threats and racial slurs at the letter carrier before telling the worker they could “square up.”
The worker told investigators that Franklin threatened to punch him in the face, hit with a tractor and called someone to bring Franklin a rope so he could “drag” him away.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution to end print edition
- $10 million in debt wiped out for 3,500 metro Atlanta families
- Families of 2 teens killed in 2015 crash ‘overwhelmed’ by ex-trooper’s guilty verdict
In December 2024, the letter carrier’s vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run with a green tractor registered to Franklin.
Witnesses reported seeing a vehicle matching that of Franklin’s wife in the area shortly after the crash.
Investigators found evidence that Franklin’s crimes were motivated in part by the letter carrier’s race.
When he was arrested, investigators found two AR-15 style rifles in his truck and a loaded pistol on him.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
