A Frederick County, Md., Circuit Court jury on Jan. 25 found Michael David Burns, 53, a resident of Thurmont, Md., guilty of 10 charges, including three hate crimes, harassment, and trespassing related to his targeting a same-sex couple who are his neighbors.

A statement released by the Office of the Frederick County State’s Attorney says the conviction came after a three-day trial. The statement does not disclose the names or gender of the victims.

“The victims, a same-sex couple who are neighbors of the defendant, reported the trespassing and harassment last year directly to the State’s Attorney’s Office,” the statement says. “Beginning in March 2023, Assistant State’s Attorney, Carly Gibson, investigated the case by visiting the home of the victims and reviewing the evidence thoroughly,” it says.

“ASA Gibson’s findings warranted numerous charges, including the defendant’s continually trespassing onto the victims’ property while in possession of a rifle, verbally harassing the victims with hate-based threats, throwing large rocks on the victims’ driveway to prevent them from accessing their property, and physically blocking the entrance to the property,” the statement states.  

It says defendant Burns has been placed on home detention, to be monitored by a monitoring device, until his sentencing, which is scheduled to take place on April 4, 2024.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities, regardless of race, sexual orientation, faith, or other status,” Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said in the statement. “When hateful words turn into hateful actions, the State’s Attorney’s Office will work diligently to protect the public and secure a just outcome,” he said. “Hopefully, these convictions send a strong message that hate will not be tolerated in Frederick County.”

Frederick County Public Defender Service attorneys Meghana Vodela and Linda Beth Ziet, who court records show served as Burns’s defense attorneys, could not immediately be reached for comment.