Salt Lake City, UT–A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned a three count indictment charging a man with a hate crime for attacking three men with a metal pole because he believed the men were Mexican, federal prosecutors said.
The indictment alleges that on Nov. 27, 2018, Alan D. Covington entered the premises of a tire store, shouted that he wanted to “kill Mexicans,” and then struck one man in the head with a metal pole. The indictment alleges that the attack against another man included an attempt to kill,
According to the indictment, Covington also struck a third man with a metal pole. Both men suffered bodily injury. The indictment further alleges that Covington swung the metal pole at one man in an attempt to injure him.
If convicted, Covington faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the Salt Lake City Field Office of the FBI, with the cooperation of the Salt Lake City Police Department.
