A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah returned an indictment charging Mark Porter with violating 42 U.S.C. § 3631 by using force and the threat of force to injure, intimidate, and interfere with an African-American man because of his race after moving in nearby.
The indictment alleges that Mark Porter shouted racial slurs at the victim and his seven-year-old son, and then struck the victim with a stun cane. The indictment further alleges that the stun cane is a dangerous weapon, and that the victim suffered bodily injury.
“…the defendant yelled ‘n—–,’ said get out of here to [Victim] and [Victim’s] seven-year-old son, and used a stun cane (a Zap Cane) to assault [Victim], resulting in bodily injury,” the indictment alleges.
If convicted on the civil rights charge, Porter faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.