North Carolina Man Sentenced for Racially Motivated Hate Crimes Against Black and Hispanic Men

A North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release for committing hate crimes against a Black man and a Hispanic man.

Evidence at trial proved that Marian Hudak, 52, willfully intimidated the victims and interfered with their enjoyment of federally protected activities using force or a threat of force because of their race and color.

“Racially-motivated acts of violence are abhorrent and unlawful, and have no place in our society today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant, who harbored the KKK flag and Nazi paraphernalia, carried out hate-fueled attacks on a Black man who was merely driving on a public street and a Hispanic man who simply was trying to live in his own home. The severe sentence imposed for these vicious hate crimes should send a strong message that perpetrators of hate-fueled violence will be held accountable. The Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to investigating and prosecuting hate crimes wherever they occur in our country.”

“All people — regardless of the color of their skin or their nationality — are entitled to travel on public roads and enjoy their homes without fear of being threatened, harassed or intimidated,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The sentence imposed yesterday sends a strong message that this type of violent, hateful conduct will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“For years Marian Hudak terrorized people of color living in one North Carolina city,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “They were afraid to drive down certain streets, fill their cars with gas, or even to take their children to the bus stop because of his intolerance for people who didn't look like him. There is no place for racial hatred-fueled violence in this country.”

Evidence at trial also proved that on Oct. 13, 2022, Hudak encountered J.S., a Black man he had never met before, while they were driving on a public road in Concord, North Carolina. Hudak shouted racial slurs at J.S., told him to “come here, boy,” then got out of his car, punched J.S.’ window multiple times, then chased J.S. home where he continued to shout racial slurs and threatened J.S. Additional trial witnesses testified about other times Hudak shouted slurs at, gave the middle finger to and drove aggressively near other minority motorists. They also testified about a KKK flag, a racist publication and Nazi memorabilia Hudak kept in his residence.

Evidence at trial also proved that on Nov. 27, 2021, Hudak shouted racially charged insults at his next-door neighbor, J.D., a Hispanic man who was enjoying his right to occupy a dwelling. Hudak then attacked J.D. by punching and tackling him, causing J.D. to suffer bodily injury. Other trial witnesses testified about Hudak’s history of social media posts disparaging Hispanic people generally and J.D.’s family specifically and other instances where Hudak intimidated Hispanic people, including by parking his truck outside of a Hispanic church during worship services and by using derogatory language.

The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Waid and JoAnna McFadden for the Middle District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.