Guwahati: A man from California is accused of attacking 14 Hindu women of Indian heritage over the course of a two-month crime spree that began in June.
He has a criminal history and is accused of committing hate crimes.
Lathan Johnson, an East Palo Alto resident was charged with targeting 14 Indian women who were wearing traditional attire and jewellery.
According to reports, Johnson assaulted the women’s husband and broke the women’s arms in exchange for gold jewellery.
Meanwhile, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, “Rips off their jewellery, drags them down the street breaks their writs, beats up their husband and terrorizing them is much worse than a property thief.”
Indian communities were publishing a variety of posts on the abuse they experience in California at the same time.
Shankar Kenkre one of the victims wrote on social media that his mother had been the target of an unrelated non-violent attack in Foster City because of her gold jewellery.
The accused is arrested in detention without access to bond and the maximum sentence for him is 63 years in prison.
The date of his subsequent court appearance is scheduled for November 4.