Hate Crime Charges Dropped For Most MD College Students After Off-Campus Attack

SALISBURY, MD — The hate crime and first-degree assault charges were dropped for at least 12 of the 15 Salisbury University students accused of attacking a gay man who thought he was meeting a 16-year-old for sex, The Washington Post reported last Friday.

"The SAO has reviewed the evidence gathered during the course of the investigation and we have charged as appropriate in light of that evidence," the Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office told WBAL on Friday. "As this is a pending criminal prosecution, we are unable to comment further at this time."

The November arrests stem from an October encounter at an off-campus apartment.

Charging documents obtained by WBOC said one of the suspects used the dating app Grindr to pose as a 16-year-old and then eventually invited the victim to the apartment under the pretense of sex. The age of sexual consent is 16 in Maryland.

Police said numerous college-aged men surrounded the victim when he entered the apartment and forced him to sit in a chair as they kicked, punched and spat on the him while calling him derogatory names. Officers said the victim tried to leave multiple times during the minutes-long assault, but he was thrown on the floor during each attempt to flee. Authorities said the victim suffered a broken rib and bruising throughout his body.

Police said the suspects were initially charged with first-degree assault, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment and the associated hate crime charges.

Many of the suspects now face second-degree assault and false imprisonment charges, The Post reported.

"The state finally realized with respect to my client that he was overcharged," Steve Rakow, an attorney for one of the students, told The Post. "It was never a hate crime, and it was never a first-degree assault."

Officers said the victim "was targeted due to his sexual preferences." Lawyers argue otherwise.

"Once all of the facts are out, it will be quite clear that this case has less to do with sexual orientation than with a grown man soliciting a child for sex," James L. Britt, an attorney for another student, previously told The Post.

Many of the suspects belonged to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, which condemned the violence and expelled its members charged in the attack.

Salisbury University suspended its SAE chapter and the suspects. The college also launched a task force on LGBTQ+ inclusiveness and held a community vigil and unity walk.

The Salisbury Police Department identified the arrestees as:

• Ryder Baker, 20, of Olney
• Bennan Aird, 18, of Milton, Delaware
• Riley Brister, 20, of Davidsonville
• Cruz Cespedes, 19, of Jarrettsville
• Dylan Earp, 20, of Gambrills
• Elijah Johnson, 19, of Crofton
• Zachary Leinemann, 18, of Crofton
• Cameron Guy, 18, of Baltimore
• Jacob Howard, 19, of Elkridge
• Eric Sinclair, 21, of Mount Airy
• Patrick Gutierrez, 19, of Salisbury
• Dylan Pietuszka, 20, of Friendship
• Sean Antone, 19, of West Friendship
• Benjamin Brandenburg, 18, of Glyndon
• Logan Clark, 19, of Severna Park

Related:

• Hate Crime Assault Draws 3 More Arrests After Beating Near MD College: Police
• Hate Crime Attack: 5 More MD Students Arrested, Suspects Expelled From Fraternity
• 7 Salisbury University Students Arrested In Hate Crime Assault: Police