Fontana man charged with hate crime for 2021 Culver City attack

LOS ANGELES - A federal grand jury Wednesday returned an indictment charging a Southern California man with a hate crime for allegedly punching an Asian American woman in the head in Culver City while he shouted racial slurs at her.

Jesse Allen Lindsey, 37, who is currently in state prison on an unrelated conviction, but whose last known address was in Fontana, was charged with one count of committing a hate crime, a felony offense that carries a possible maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"Hate-fueled violence has no place in our society," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. "We live in one of the most diverse areas of the country, and that diversity brings us strength. Our community will stay united in condemning intolerance, and my office will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute those who harm others on account of bigotry."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Attack on Asian-American woman in Culver City being investigated as possible hate crime

According to the indictment, at roughly 1 a.m. on June 14, 2021, the victim was walking to work in Culver City when Lindsey, a white man, asked her for a lighter or cigarette. She responded that she did not smoke. Lindsey allegedly then began following her and yelled at the woman, whom he perceived to be an Asian American man, "You ... Asian guy, turn around." Lindsey allegedly called the victim "Korean" and shouted, "You ... Asian guy, you don't belong here," the indictment states.

The indictment further alleges that, as captured on surveillance video, Lindsey yelled at the victim, "You can't say hi to a ... white boy?" Lindsey then allegedly punched the woman in the head, causing her to fall into the street and hit her head. While the victim was lying face down in the street, Lindsey shouted, "You hear what I said, ... I said good morning, [b****]!" federal prosecutors contend.

Emergency personnel later took the victim to a hospital, where she received 11 stitches in her face. As a result of the attack, the victim sustained injuries to her head and ear, which left her unable to work for one month and caused ongoing pain for one year, the indictment alleges.

When he later learned from news reports that law enforcement was investing the incident as a hate crime, Lindsey, fearful that hate crimes receive greater punishment, fled California, according to the indictment.

"The victim in this case was simply minding her own business when she was verbally abused and violently attacked based on nothing more than her appearance," said Krysti Hawkins, the acting assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office.

"The FBI is committed to the protection of civil rights in the United States and will hold accountable anyone so driven by hatred that they would target innocent people based on their race."

Lindsey is expected to appear in federal court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.