Washington ( CNN ) -- An Arkansas man has pleaded guilty to plotting to kill several African-Americans in 2008 , including then-presidential candidate Barack Obama , the Justice Department announced Thursday . Paul Schlesselman of West Helena , Arkansas , faces 10 years in prison under a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors in Tennessee . Federal officials in Washington said Schlesselman threatened to kill then-Sen. Obama on October 23 , 2008 , shortly before the presidential election . He also planned to `` murder dozens of people with a focus on murdering African-Americans '' the Justice Department said . `` Despite great civil rights progress , hate-fueled violence remains all too common in our country , as illustrated by this unthinkable conspiracy , '' said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas Perez in a statement issued by his Justice Department office .
Paul Schlesselman faces 10 years in prison in plea deal with Tennessee federal prosecutors . Schlesselman threatened to kill then-Sen. Obama on October 23 , 2008 , officials say . The FBI says it is investigating the threats against Obama, who was then a presidential candidate for Illinois.