Two Texas men have been indicted on federal hate crime charges for allegedly brutally beating and raping a gay black man in 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday in a press release.
Jimmy Garza Jr., 32, and Ramiro Serrata Jr., 22, are facing charges of 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 release notes.
According to KRIS TV, the victim said that he had owed the men $5, which he paid them. However, the two men still lured the victim into an apartment on March 8, 2012, and assaulted him while calling him racial and homophobic slurs.
The release notes that for approximately three hours, the assailants punched and kicked the man and hit him with a frying pan, a coffee mug, a belt and a chair. They also poured a household cleaning agent on his face and in his eyes, pistol-whipped him with a handgun and whipped him with a belt, according to the allegations.
As the victim began to bleed, he was forced to strip and clean up his blood. While he was doing this, his assailants reportedly sodomized him with a broom or mop and another unknown object. The victim was prevented from leaving via force and threats and ultimately had to escape by jumping out a window.
If convicted, Garza and Serrata face up to life in prison.
Read more at the Department of Justice and KRIS TV.