Douglas Wayne Cornett, Hate Crime, Virginia 2024

Ruther Glen man, Douglas Wayne Cornett, 58, has been convicted of a hate crime and firearms violation after a vicious attack on two Latino men at a Sheetz gas station in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, on February 28, 2024.

Cornett pleaded guilty to two federal hate crimes involving attempts to kill and to discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence. According to court documents, Cornett followed a box truck driven by an adult Latino male, O.G., into the Sheetz gas station along Interstate 95. He then asked a friend of O.G., J.M., an adult Latino male, how long O.G. had been present in the United States. Upon learning that O.G. had arrived within the last two years, Cornett drew a handgun and fired six rounds, striking O.G. three times and J.M. once.

“Crimes like Douglas Cornett’s, acts of hate motivated violence, victimize not just the individual, but harm families, communities, and groups by robbing them of their sense of security,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Every person has a right to live free of the fear of violence and the menace of hate, and my office is committed to eliminating both.”

The attack was a direct assault on the principles of equality and justice that define our nation, as stated by Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. The FBI Richmond Field Office, led by Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge, investigated the case thoroughly and swiftly to ensure justice for the victims and to protect the American people.

Cornett later confessed to a Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Deputy to shooting the victims because of his perception of the victims’ national origin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-CR-91.

Douglas Wayne Cornett, 58, of Ruther Glen, Virginia, was sentenced to prison time for his role in the hate crime and firearms violation. The exact sentence was not specified in the press release.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of combating hate crimes and ensuring that individuals can live free of the fear of violence and hate. It is a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to investigate and prosecute such crimes to the fullest extent of the law.

Related Federal Cases