Jordany Rafael Laboy García, Hate Crimes, Puerto Rico 2020

Hate Crimes Charges Brought Against Three Puerto Rico Men

A federal indictment has been brought against Jordany Rafael Laboy García, Christian Yamaurie Rivera Otero, and Anthony Steven Lobos Ruiz, charging them with hate crimes for assaulting a transgender woman in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico.

According to the indictment, on February 24, 2020, the three men verbally harassed the victim after recognizing her from social media posts. They then drove to get a paintball gun and fired paintballs at her, recording the incident on their cell phones.

The indictment alleges that the men used the recordings to harass and intimidate the victim, and that Rivera Otero directed Lobos Ruiz to delete at least one video recording of the paintball gun assault and verbal harassment.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the hate crime charge, five years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and a fine up to $250,000 with respect to each charge. Rivera Otero and Lobos Ruiz also face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for the obstruction of justice charge.

The case is being investigated by the San Juan Field Office of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Rose E. Gibson and Trial Attorney Laura B. Gilson of the Civil Rights Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney José A. Contreras of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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