Sept. 28 (UPI) — A Yonkers man pleaded guilty Tuesday to a hate crime assault against a 67-year-old Asian woman in March 2022. The woman was struck more than 100 times, suffered repeated stomps on her upper body and was spat on, according to the Westchester County, N.Y. District Attorney’s office.
Tammel Esco, 42, pleaded guilty to Assault in the First Degree as a Hate Crime. According to his plea agreement, Esco will be sentenced to 17 1/2 years in state prison plus five years of post-release supervision.
District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah said in a statement that the plea “secures justice for the brave victim who endured the shocking attack and its aftermath, and for a community impacted by the trauma of this hate-driven violence.”
The Asian woman was found bloodied and beaten outside of her apartment building while the suspect was still there. The attack was captured on video surveillance, according to Rocah.
Rocah’s office said in the statement that Esco yelled an expletive at the woman of Filipino descent as she tried to enter her apartment building. Esco then attacked her from behind, punching her in the head and knocking her down and stomping her.
The woman was treated for bleeding on the brain, multiple facial fractures, bruising and lacerations to the head and face, according to the Westchester County, N.Y. District Attorney’s office.
According to the FBI, hate crimes rose to a 12-year high in the United States during 2020, with nearly 7,800 reported.
Rocah said in a statement that she wants to assure “every community in Westchester County that my office will use every resource at our disposal to fight hate and hold perpetrators accountable. In addition to vigorously prosecuting these cases, we are continuing our work with our government partners and the community at large to offer training, education and outreach related to hate crimes and bias incidents.”
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