HOUSTON – By Meghan Mistry - Staff
A Katy man has entered a guilty plea to a federal hate crime in regards to the racially-motivated assault of an elderly African-American man.
Conrad Alvin Barrett, 29, is convicted of assaulting an 81-year-old because of his race and color on Nov. 24, 2013, prosecutors said. The U.S. Attorney's Office said that Barrett recorded himself attacking the man on his cell phone.
Just before the attack, Barrett claimed he would not hit "defenseless people." Authorities said he then preceded to punch the elderly man in the face, which knocked him to the ground and caused two jaw fractures to the victim. Barrett then said "knockout," and fled in his vehicle, according to authorities.
"This was a senseless and heinous act of violence that was committed simply because the victim was African-American," Vanita Gupta, principal deputy assistant attorney general of the civil rights division, said in a press release. "The Department of Justice will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to vindicate the rights of victims of violent crimes."
Barrett's sentencing is set for Sept. 18. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.