According to the Justice Department, Roy Lashley, 56, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, and his brother, Robert Lashley, 52, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for their racial attack on a Black man in a dollar store.
In their plea deals, the two men admitted to their hate crimes. On Nov. 17, 2021, they traveled to the Family Dollar in Citrus Springs, where the victim was shopping inside.
Roy Lashley repeatedly used racial slurs inside the store about the victim. Both Roy and Robert Lashley then followed the victim into the parking lot.
Once outside the store, Robert Lashley ran to the victim and hit him numerous times. Roy Lashley then attacked the victim multiple times with an ax he had retrieved from his vehicle.
“The brutal attack against the victim, in this case, was motivated by hate and bigotry. Because of the great determination and cooperation between our federal and local law enforcement partners, we were able to bring these callous criminals to justice.”
said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida
The victim sustained painful injuries to his face and legs, including a laceration to the inside of his mouth.
The Lashley brothers also admitted that they willfully caused bodily injury to the victim and acted because he was Black. They both also hurled racist slurs at the man during the entire attack.
The Justice Department also reassured the public that they take hate crimes very seriously and are continuing to pursue justice in that matter.
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