The leader of an Amish community and his followers were convicted Thursday of hate crimes, including forcibly cutting Amish men’s beards and women’s hair in eastern Ohio.
Samuel Mullet Sr., who founded a community near Bergholz, and 15 of his followers were tried for five assaults on other Amish. He was also convicted of federal conspiracy in orchestrating the attacks, a spokesman with the U.S. District Court in Cleveland told CNN.
Mullet told his followers to shave the beards and cut the hair of people who left his group.
Prosecutors said Mullet described people who left the group as “religious enemies,” according to the network. The assailants used scissors and battery-powered hair clippers and injured their victims and others who attempted to stop them, an FBI affidavit said.
Mullet faces a prison sentence of 10 years or more, NBC reported. U.S. District Judge Daniel Polster set Mullet’s sentencing hearing for Jan. 24.
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