(WOIO) -
A community known for keeping to themselves, now speaking out to keep a former Amish leader behind bars.
The Amish men convicted of a series of beard cutting attacks will be sentenced Friday in Federal Court.
The hate crimes terrorized an Amish community for months, and now the victims, known for turning the other cheek, are now speaking out and asking for strict punishment.
Prosecutors attached a series of letters to the sentencing memorandum. 14 letters where the people who knew and lived under the control of Sam Mullet, Sr. ask for him to be put away for a long time.
A mother writes says she "feels she is not safe and fears for the life of our children living there all married to Mullet's children." The woman also calls it a cult.
Another letter, "Since Sam Mullet and his sons are in jail, we see an improvement in the Bergholz community."
Of course, the case has garnered national headlines. Mullet was the absolute ruler of his group. He let raids on the homes of those he felt were straying from his control, cutting off hair and beards to embarrass them.
Federal sentencing guidelines call for a level 32 punishment, which translates to 10 to 13 years, but prosecutors are asking the judge for what's known as an upward enhancement. More time. They want life in prison for Mullet.
This is highly unusual, but then again many of the letters that were sent to the court ask for exactly the same thing. The judge will decide.
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Sam Mullet
Letters encouraging tough sentence for Mullet
