Two South Boston brothers accused of beating a homeless man they believed was an illegal immigrant have pleaded guilty to charges related to the August 2015 incident, according to the Suffolk District Attorney’s office.

Scott Leader, 38, and Steven Leader, 30, pleaded guilty to charges of causing bodily injury while committing a civil rights violation, assault and battery for purposes of intimidation causing bodily injury, two counts each of assault and battery, and two counts each of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, authorities said.

One of the brothers allegedly said he was partially inspired by Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric, The Boston Globe reported last year.


Scott Leader was sentenced to three years in state prison, while Steven Leader received two and a half years, according to the DA’s office. The brothers will be put on probation for three years following their prison sentences, authorities said.

“This unprovoked attack on a sleeping man disgusted every prosecutor, victim advocate, and trooper who worked on it,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley said in a statement. “State prison was the only appropriate sentence.”

Last summer, a 58-year-old homeless man was sleeping next to JFK/UMass Station when he awoke to find two men urinating on him. They then punched him and beat him with a metal pole. Scott Leader allegedly told police later, “Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported.”

Trump denounced the incident on Twitter.

Boston incident is terrible. We need energy and passion, but we must treat each other with respect. I would never condone violence. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2015

The victim sustained multiple injuries, including a broken nose and serious bruising on his torso, authorities said

“I still feel pain all over my body from this incident,” the victim wrote in a statement that was read prior to sentencing. “I don’t think my fingers will ever be the same. I came to this country many years ago and worked hard in the farm fields to provide produce to people here. I actually became a permanent resident of this country years ago, although if I had been undocumented I still would not have deserved to be beaten this way.”