Jimmy Garza Jr. and Ramiro Serrata Jr., Hate Crime, Texas 2015

Two Texas Men Indicted for Federal Hate Crime Against Gay, African-American Man

A heinous attack on a gay, African-American man in Corpus Christi, Texas, has led to a federal indictment against two men, Jimmy Garza Jr. and Ramiro Serrata Jr.

On March 8, 2012, Garza and Serrata conspired to assault a gay, African-American man because of his race, color, and sexual orientation, according to the indictment. The defendants invited the man into an apartment in Corpus Christi, then assaulted him while calling him racial and homophobic epithets.

The assault lasted approximately three hours, during which time the conspirators repeatedly punched and kicked the man and assaulted him with various dangerous weapons, including a frying pan, a coffee mug, a belt, and a chair. The conspirators also poured a household cleaning agent or chemical solution onto the man's face and eyes, pistol whipped him with a handgun, and whipped him with a belt, according to the allegations.

The indictment further alleges that when the man began to bleed, the defendants forced him to remove all of his clothing and clean up the blood throughout the apartment. The conspirators then allegedly sodomized him using a broom or mop and another unknown object.

The case is being investigated by the FBI's Corpus Christi Resident Agency with assistance from the Corpus Christi Police Department and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jared Fishman and Nicholas Durham of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruben Perez of the Southern District of Texas.

If convicted, both Garza and Serrata face a maximum sentence of life in prison. An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The indictment charges Jimmy Garza Jr., 32, and Ramiro Serrata Jr., 22, with conspiracy to commit hate crimes, a hate crime violation based on race and color, a hate crime violation based on sexual orientation, and using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. The indictment was returned under seal on August 12, 2015, and unsealed upon the arrest of Serrata on Friday, August 14, 2015.

Serrata made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason Libby today, at which time the government requested he remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings. A detention hearing has been set for August 20, 2015. Garza, of Corpus Christi, Texas, is currently in custody on unrelated charges and is expected to be transferred to federal custody and make an appearance on these charges on August 24, 2015.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/two-texas-men-indicted-federal-hate-crime-against-gay-african-american-man-1