Puerto Rico

Two Puerto Rican men were sentenced to nearly three years in prison for attacking a transgender woman in February 2020.

The men were driving out together when they saw the victim standing on the side of the road and recognized her from a recent social media post. Then the defendants recorded themselves yelling threats and disparaging comments from the car. The defendants then decided to get a paintball gun, and later went back to the victim’s location. One of the defendants recorded the other one shooting the victim multiple times with the paintball gun. After the assault ended, one of the defendants shared the video recording.

The men admitted they attacked the victim because she was transgender.

Sentencing: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-puerto-rican-men-sentenced-federal-hate-crime-against-latina-transgender-woman-and

Guilty Plea: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-puerto-rican-men-plead-guilty-federal-hate-crime-against-transgender-woman-and

A federal judge sentenced the first of three men charged with hate crimes for a February 2020 assault on a transgender woman to 33 months in prison. In August, the defendant pleaded guilty to helping the attackers and harassing the victim because of her gender identity.

According to evidence, on February 24, 2020, the three men were traveling by car when they recognized the victim near the road in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. After identifying her, the defendants verbally harassed her. The three men then drove to get a paintball gun and paintballs, returned to the location and fired paintballs at her.

During both encounters, the men used cell phone to record their actions and shared the recordings with others.

Charges against the other two men are still pending.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/co-conspirator-sentenced-33-months-hate-crime-against-transgender-woman

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/puerto-rico-men-charged-hate-crimes-shooting-transgender-woman-paintball-gun

A federal grand jury in Puerto Rico charged two defendants with murdering two transgender women. The indictment accuses the defendants of using a firearm to commit a crime and causing two deaths through the use of a firearm. The charges also include a hate crime based on the victims’ gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.

If convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison or the death penalty.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/two-individuals-charged-carjacking-murder-firearms-offenses-and-destruction-property

(en Español: https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/dos-individuos-acusados-por-carjacking-y-usar-un-arma-de-fuego-durante-un-crimen-violento)

Affidavit in Support of Criminal Complaint: https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1273056/download