A Bronx man was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on hate crime charges for allegedly slashing a man in the face after using racial and homophobic slurs near a Jackson Heights subway station last month.
Ramon Castro, 55 , of Plimpton Avenue was arraigned Tuesday before Queens Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino on a seven-count indictment charging him with assault in the first and second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, aggravated harassment in the second degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
On the morning of July 6, around 3 a.m., Castro allegedly yelled “I hate Latinos and f—-t people” at a man who was standing near a subway station at 77th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, according to Katz.
Castro allegedly attacked the victim, cutting the 34-year-old man on the left cheek with a sharp object. Following the unprovoked attack, Castro ran from the scene.
EMS responded to the crime scene and transported the victim to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where numerous stitches were required to close a wound on his face.
Castro was arrested around 1 a.m. on July 15 within the confines of the 110th Precinct following an investigation by the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force.
“In Queens, we value our diversity,” Katz said. “Attacking others because of their ethnicity or who they love is never acceptable. It will not be tolerated here. We will now seek to bring this defendant to justice for his alleged hate crimes.”
Justice Cimino ordered Castro to return to court Nov. 22. If convicted, Castro faces up to 15 years in prison.
