Wu Xiaolei, 25, was convicted on American soil Thursday. The Chinese student at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, was accused of threatening a U.S. permanent resident after she expressed her political views and showed support for democracy in China.
When his fellow student posted flyers to support pro-democracy moves in China, Mr. Wu turned to the digital realm to threaten her, saying he’d report her activities to Chinese law enforcement, and would cut off her hands if she didn’t take down the flyers.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy commented on the case, saying: “Wu now stands as a convicted felon for his illegal efforts to suppress speech … This type of conduct will never be tolerated.”
Mr. Wu’s charges could land him five years in prison, three more years under supervised release, and as much as a $250,000 fine.