Cincinnati man pleads guilty to vandalizing Vice President JD Vance’s home
CINCINNATI —
A Cincinnati man was convicted Tuesday on two charges in connection with vandalizing Vice President JD Vance’s home.
William DeFoor, 26, pleaded guilty to engaging in acts of physical violence against government officials or property and causing willful injury or depredation to property of the United States.
DeFoor was arrested after Secret Service agents saw him running along the fence of the protected residence around midnight on Jan. 5. Court documents say he used a hammer to try to break the window of an unmarked federal law enforcement vehicle before smashing large historic windows at the home.
Prosecutors said the damage totaled about $28,000. DeFoor remained in custody after being charged by complaint and indicted by a federal grand jury in January.
“Acts of violence directed against our political leaders, their families, or property, have no place in our society and will not be tolerated. Our elected leaders, at all levels of government, must be permitted to carry out their duties free from threats, vandalism, and other forms of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Perpetrators like DeFoor, who put that freedom at risk, particularly through violent, destructive actions, will, like here, be vigorously prosecuted.”
DeFoor faces up to 10 years in prison for each count and has been ordered to pay approximately $28,000 in restitution and not come within 350 yards of any residence of Vice President Vance (occupied or not) or of Vance/his family members personally.
After Tuesday’s plea hearing, DeFoor’s attorney Paul Laufman spoke to the media.
“My client has never denied what he did. Accepting responsibility is the first step in making it right,” Laufman said. “This case got attention because of whose house it was when it should have gotten attention for the mental health that’s driving all of this … Mr. DeFoor suffers from mental health issues. I don’t know if he clearly, 100 percent understood where he was or what he was doing that night.”
In court, DeFoor said he was being treated for schizophrenia and depression.
Sentencing will be set at a later date after a pre-sentence investigation is conducted.