Costa Mesa Man Pleads Guilty For Assaulting, Yelling Expletive At 'Mexicans'
SANTA ANA (CBS) — An Orange County man is facing prison Friday after pleading guilty to a hate crime attack in front of a Costa Mesa convenience store.
Chad Martin Jurjaks, 30, of Costa Mesa, punched a 42-year-old man and his 26-year-old nephew in front of a 7-Eleven store in Costa Mesa about 10:30 p.m. March 15 because they were Latinos, Deputy District Attorney Andrew Katz said.
The man, his wife, cousin and nephew were walking to the store when an allegedly drunk Jurjaks attacked them as he yelled, "(Expletive) Mexicans," according to Katz.
Jurjaks, who is white, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of hate crime battery causing injury, Katz said. Jurjaks accepted a plea deal from Orange County Superior Court Judge W. Michael Hayes, Katz said.
It is not clear what sentence Hayes is expected to give Jurjaks when he is scheduled to return to court Feb. 17, Katz said. The sentencing was delayed to give the victims a chance to make statements to the judge, Katz said.
Jurjaks could have faced up to seven years and four months in prison if he was convicted at trial, according to prosecutors.
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