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Toledo man pleads guilty to hate crime

Charles Butler pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime for beating an African-American stranger he saw on the street.
Robert Paschalis (Source: Toledo Police Department)

TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Charles Butler pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime for beating an African-American stranger he saw on the street.

According to his plea in court Wednesday, on May 18, Butler and Robert Paschalis drove past Adrian Williams on the street while he was unloading items from his truck. The two men circled back, got out of their truck and began attacking Williams while yelling racial slurs.

Butler grabbed a broom from the back of Williams' truck and struck him with it multiple times. He admitted the act was because Williams was African American.

The beating only stopped when two off-duty police officers drove by the scene and pulled the men off him. Williams suffered a fracture to his right eye socket.

Butler later posted on his Facebook that the attack was "in the name of the white race."

"Race-motivated violence violates the law and offends human decency," Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Gupta said in a press release. "The Justice Department will always vigorously prosecute those who carry out violence against individuals because of the color of their skin. Crimes which threaten the very fabric and core values of our country."

Paschalis was also charged with a hate crime, but his charges are still pending.

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