Robert Lashley (Citrus County Sheriff's Office)

White man pleads guilty to hate crime after Black man attacked outside of store in Florida

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Robert Lashley (Citrus County Sheriff's Office)
Robert Lashley (Citrus County Sheriff’s Office)

A White man pleaded guilty today to a federal hate crime after a racially-motivated attack in Florida, federal authorities announced.

According to a plea agreement, on Nov. 17, 52-year-old Robert Lashley traveled to a Family Dollar store in Citrus Springs, Florida, where the unidentified victim was shopping. Lashley followed the victim to the parking lot and struck him multiple times. Lashley and his co-defendant, Roy Lamar Lashley, used racial slurs towards the victim before, during and after the attack, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The victim sustained multiple injuries stemming from the attack.

Lashley faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of mandatory supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been announced yet.

The case against Roy Lashley is still ongoing.

More about the attack and charges can be found here.

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