Hate Crime Charges Dropped Against Most Salisbury U. Students Who Were Arrested

Prosecutors have dropped hate crime charges against 12 of the 15 Salisbury University students accused of luring a person to an off-campus apartment via a dating app, then physically assaulting him and spitting on him due to his sexual orientation, according to court documents.https://wordpress.com/

The Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office released a statement over the weekend saying it had “reviewed the evidence collected during the investigation and pursued charges based on that evidence.”

Initially, the Salisbury Police Department charged all 15 men with first-degree assault and hate crimes after their arrests last month. However, Maryland court records now show that the hate crime charges have been dropped for 12 of the men. These 12 defendants still face misdemeanor charges, including false imprisonment and second-degree assault, as per the records.

Attorneys representing eight of these 12 individuals confirmed that the most severe charges against their clients had been dismissed.

Three students remain charged with hate crimes: Zachary Leinemann, 18, of Crofton, Md.; Elijah Johnson, 19, of Crofton, Md.; and Logan Clark, 19, of Severna Park, Md. David Moore, an attorney for Mr. Clark, indicated that his client’s hearing is scheduled for Thursday, and he anticipates that the charges will be dropped. A lawyer for Mr. Leinemann did not respond to requests for comment, and it is unclear whether Mr. Johnson has legal representation.

The 12 students whose hate crime charges were dropped are: Riley Brister, 20, of Davidsonville, Md.; Ryder Baker, 20, of Olney, Md.; Bennan Aird, 18, of Milton, Del.; Cruz Cespedes, 19, of Jarrettsville, Md.; Dylan Earp, 20, of Gambrills, Md.; Cameron Guy, 18, of Baltimore; Jacob Howard, 19, of Elkridge, Md.; Eric Sinclair, 21, of Mount Airy, Md.; Patrick Gutierrez, 19, of Salisbury, Md.; Dylan Pietuszka, 20, of Friendship, Md.; Sean Antone, 19, of West Friendship, Md.; and Benjamin Brandenburg, 18, of Glyndon, Md.

The students allegedly used Grindr, a dating app commonly used by gay men, to arrange a meeting with their victim using a fake account posing as a 16-year-old on October 15. Once the victim arrived at the apartment, the men allegedly forced him into a chair and physically attacked him, kicking, punching, and spitting on him while using derogatory slurs. The victim attempted to escape, but was thrown to the ground. After several minutes of assault, he was allowed to leave and sought medical attention. The victim was left with bruises and a broken rib, though authorities have not released his name for safety reasons. Police confirmed the victim was not a Salisbury University student.

Steven Rakow, Brister’s attorney, stated that 10 out of the 12 charges initially filed against his client had been dismissed, including felony assault, reckless endangerment, conspiracy, and hate crime charges. “While still serious charges, this never was a hate crime and certainly was never a felony first-degree assault,” Rakow commented. Brister’s trial for the remaining charges is scheduled for January.

Thomas J. Maronick Jr., attorney for Guy, called the decision to drop the more severe charges “absolutely appropriate” and emphasized that his client maintained his innocence and was looking forward to his day in court.

Last month, Leinemann’s lawyer, James L. Britt, asserted that the incident was “not a situation wherein the alleged victim was targeted due to his sexual orientation.” He suggested that once all the facts were made clear, the case would be understood as a misguided attempt to expose someone involved in illegal activities related to sex with a teenager. Maryland’s age of consent is 16.

Salisbury University spokesperson Jason Rhodes confirmed the university was continuing to monitor the situation as legal proceedings unfolded. The involved students remain on interim suspension, and Rhodes reaffirmed the university’s commitment to creating safe and welcoming spaces for all students and staff.

Salisbury University, a public university on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, has around 6,200 undergraduate students, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Last month, the university president, Carolyn Ringer Lepre, addressed the campus community, condemning violence against the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community and reaffirming the university’s commitment to its core values of community, respect, and belonging.

A “Non-Violence & Unity Walk” held at the university following the incident featured participants carrying L.G.B.T.Q. Pride flags and holding hands. A social media post about the event was captioned: “Together we stand.”was captioned: “Together we stand.”