HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (WCBS 880) -- A Long Island man has been indicted on hate crime charges for allegedly luring multiple Hispanic victims with the promise of work, only to attack them in secluded places.
Christopher Cella, 19 of Selden, was charged with strangulation as a hate crime, assault as a hate crime, unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, reckless endangerment as a hate crime, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and aggravated harassment.
"The victims were merely looking for work, but instead were abducted and attacked, all because of their ethnicity," Suffolk District Attorney Tim Sini said. "Racism has no place in our communities, and these acts will not be tolerated."
On Sept. 17, Cella drove to La Placita deli in Farmingville to pick up a 52-year-old Hispanic man under the pretense of hiring him for day labor, according to the DA's office.
Cella allegedly brought the man to an abandoned construction site, where he is accused of trying to kiss the victim, assaulted him and put him in a chokehold.
Shortly after, Cella switched vehicles and drove to the area around a Farmingville 7-Eleven and picked up a 60-year-old Hispanic man, officials said.
According to the DA, Cella brought the victim to a side street near a condo complex in Medford, and assaulted and strangled the man until he lost consciousness.
The alleged attacks then continued the next morning, when Cella returned to same 7-Eleven to pick up a 47-year-old Hispanic man, the DA's office said.
Cella allegedly tried to bring the 47-year-old to an unknown location, but he became suspicious and fled, despite Cella apparently trying to hit him with his car.
Cella was arrested last month and was arraigned on an indictment Tuesday in Suffolk County Supreme Court. Suffolk police and the DA's office announced the charges.
"This is clearly a very dangerous individual, targeting people based on their ethnicity in a very prolific manner," Suffolk Police Acting Commissioner Stuart Cameron said. "I would like to recognize the great work of our Hate Crimes Unit for rapidly recognizing this pattern and launching an investigation very quickly with assistance from the Sixth Squad detectives and Sixth Precinct officers."
Cella had bail set at $75,000 cash or $500,000 bond. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison if convicted of the top count.
He's due back in court on Nov. 5.
