Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Beating Black Man

A white man in Ohio pled guilty to a federal hate crime after attacking a black man “in the name of the white race.”

Charles Butler, 33, of Toledo was driving with his friend Robert Paschalis in May when they passed the victim unloading his truck, according to the FBI.

They pair circled back and attacked the man while yelling racial slurs. According to a release from the Department of Justice, Butler grabbed a broom from the back of the victim’s truck and struck the victim with it multiple times.

Butler admitted during his plea to singling out and beating the man because he is African American. 

Butler and Pachalis only stopped beating the victim when off-duty Ohio state police officers saw the scene and pulled the men away from the victim.

The man suffered a fracture to his eye socket and damage to his right eye.

“These individuals engaged in a violent assault against another person based on his race and are now being held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division.  “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure hate crimes are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law.”

Paschalis was also charged with a hate crime. His charges are still pending.