Two men were sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release each for their roles in a federal hate crime against a Latina transgender woman in Puerto Rico.
Jordany Rafael Laboy-Garcia and Christian Yamaurie Rivera-Otero were found guilty of conspiring to commit a hate crime against A.N.L., a transgender woman, in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. On February 24, 2020, the defendants, along with their co-defendant Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz, recognized A.N.L. from social media posts and decided to assault her.
The defendants used a paintball gun to shoot at A.N.L. multiple times, and Lobos-Ruiz recorded the incident on his iPhone. After the assault, the defendants exchanged text messages telling each other to delete the evidence, in an attempt to conceal their involvement.
‘The defendants have been held accountable for assaulting a Latina transgender woman because of her gender identity and then trying to obstruct an investigation into that assault,’ said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke. ‘No one should live in fear of hate-fueled violence because of who they are.’
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico recognized the threats and acts of violence faced by the LGBTQI+ community and is determined to use every tool available to preserve their life, safety, and dignity.
Jordany Rafael Laboy-Garcia and Christian Yamaurie Rivera-Otero were sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release each. Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz is still a fugitive, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.
The FBI reiterated its position of zero tolerance for hate crimes and asks anyone who has been a victim or a witness to report it to their local FBI field office or online through tips.fbi.gov.
Related Federal Cases
- Jorge Fernandez-Aviles, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Puerto Rico 2012 · Puerto Rico
- Aldrin Manuel Lara-Martínez, Conspiracy to Kill Persons in a Foreign Country, Puerto Rico 2023 · Puerto Rico
- Jonathan Torres-Rojas, Conspiracy to Interference with Commerce by Robbery, Puerto Rico 2024 · Puerto Rico
- Basilio Matías-Fajardo, Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce through Robbery, Puerto Rico 2021 · Puerto Rico
- Edwin Navarro-Artavia, Money Laundering, Puerto Rico 2026 · Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- State: Puerto Rico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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