WASHINGTON–A federal grand jury in Houston Thursday has indicted four men on federal hate crime charges related to a racially motivated assault of a 29-year-old African-American man.
Charles Cannon, 26; Michael McLaughlin, 40; Brian Kerstetter, 32; and Joseph Staggs, 49, have been charged with one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act that was enacted in October 2009. The indictment alleges that on Aug.13, 2011, the defendants approached and attacked the victim, an African-American male, while he was waiting at a bus stop in downtown Houston. It is alleged that at least one of the defendants used racial slurs and all four defendants surrounded and attacked the victim by punching and kicking him about the face, head and body. Three defendants had tattoos known to reflect an affiliation with white supremacist gangs. All four subjects were arrested at the scene after a 911 call.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
