Related Federal Cases
Men Charged with Hate Crime in Toledo, Ohio
Two men, Charles Butler and Robert Paschalis, have been charged with a federal hate crime for beating an African-American stranger in Toledo, Ohio.
According to the complaint, on May 18, 2016, Butler and Paschalis drove past the victim, A.W., while he was unloading items from his truck. The two men circled back, got out of their own truck and began attacking A.W. while yelling racial slurs.
Butler grabbed a broom from the back of A.W.’s truck and struck A.W. with it multiple times. The beating stopped only when two off-duty Ohio State Police officers happened on the scene and pulled Butler and Paschalis away.
A.W. suffered an orbital fracture and damage to his right eye. Butler later posted to Facebook that the attack was ‘in the name of the White Race.’
Butler and Paschalis were charged by complaint with violating 18 U.S.C. § 249, which makes it a federal crime to willfully cause bodily injury to another person because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of that person.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division’s Toledo Resident Agency, in cooperation with the Toledo Police Department and Lucas County, Ohio, Prosecutor’s Office.
The men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Butler and Paschalis are scheduled to appear in court to answer to the charges. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Freeman of the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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