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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two South Carolina Men on Hate Crime Charges

WASHINGTON – In a significant development, a federal grand jury in Columbia, South Carolina, has returned an indictment against two individuals from the state, charging them with hate crimes in connection with a series of armed robberies specifically targeting Hispanic victims. The indictment alleges that Charles Antonio Clippard, 26, and Michael Joseph Knox, 28, both residents of Columbia, conspired to commit these biased-motivated crimes against individuals they identified as Mexican or Hispanic at various public places, including gas stations and grocery stores.

According to court documents, the defendants committed the crimes between January and February of this year. Their modus operandi involved identifying targets of Hispanic origin and subsequently robbing them at gunpoint. The indictment highlights three armed robberies, including one carjacking, carried out by Clippard and Knox as part of this conspiracy. The key factors leading to these crimes were the victims’ race, national origin, and their presence at public accommodation facilities.

The charges against Clippard and Knox include three hate crime counts, one count of conspiracy, one count of carjacking, and three firearms offenses. If convicted, each defendant may face a minimum sentence of 21 years in prison for the firearms offenses, a maximum sentence of 10 years for each hate crime count, and a maximum sentence of 15 years for the carjacking count. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors mandated by law.

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina, and Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office.

The FBI Columbia Field Office is leading the investigation, with the cooperation of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Town of Lexington Police Department, and Columbia Police Department.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Garner for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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