Maryland – Md. men fact hate crime charges for assaulting 2 transgender women

Montgomery County Police say two Maryland men are charged with a hate crime after accosting and assaulting two transgender women outside a 7-Eleven. Edras Vasquez and Carlos Hernandez-Sanez were leaving the store around 2:30 a.m. when two transgender women were walking into the store. “The men began using very disparaging, sexually oriented-based epithets,” said Lucille Baur, with the county police. The altercation became physical after one of the women began recording the argument with her phone. “The suspects threw a Cup-O-Noodles on one of the victims, and then proceeded to kick and punch the victim to the extent that one of the victims, the 36-year-old, was thrown against the store’s front glass window,” Baur said. Both women suffered minor injuries. The two men face multiple charges, including robbery, assault and a hate crime for harassing the women because of their sexual orientation. They are expected in court later this month.