Charlotte ICE protester gets probation, fine after blocking federal facility

Jury convicted William Stanley of three petty offenses but acquitted him of assaulting a federal officer.

A Charlotte man convicted of blocking access to a federal immigration office will serve one year of probation, avoiding a jail sentence after prosecutors proposed either a weekend in custody or probation with additional penalties.

William Stanley, 26, was sentenced Oct. 8 by U.S. District Judge Matthew Orso to one year of probation, 50 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.

The case stemmed from a Nov. 16, 2025, protest outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Charlotte during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation known as “Operation Charlotte’s Web.”

After a three-day trial, a jury convicted Stanley of obstructing entrances on federal property, impeding government employees’ official duties and failing to comply with lawful commands. Jurors acquitted him of misdemeanor assault on a federal officer.

Ahead of sentencing, prosecutors recommended either 48 hours in jail or one year of probation, 100 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine. Defense attorneys sought three months of probation and a $500 fine.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, Stanley, co-defendant Heather Morrow and three other people placed cones in the facility’s entrance driveway and formed a human chain, blocking deportation officers from entering in government vehicles. Morrow’s vehicle blocked the exit lane.

Video central to the trial showed Stanley moving out of the entrance when officers directed him to, then returning in front of a moving government vehicle and placing his hands on its hood.

Stanley’s attorneys, Claire Rauscher and Jim Cooney, who represented him pro bono, argued that he went to the office to protest immigration arrests and express concern for people affected by the operation.

At sentencing, Orso acknowledged Stanley’s concern for others while emphasizing the seriousness of his conduct.

“It is very serious to interfere with law enforcement duties on federal property,” Orso said.

Stanley must complete his community service within the first six months of probation, performing work involving conflict resolution or emergency response. He must complete at least eight hours each month during the first five months.

He also cannot enter an ICE facility without prior consent from ICE and his probation officer and is prohibited from communicating with Morrow.

Morrow was convicted of the same three petty offenses and misdemeanor assault on an officer. Her sentencing date had not been set as of the Oct. 8 announcement.

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Smith and Caryn Finley prosecuted it.