Florida Man Charged with Federal Hate Crimes for Racially Motivated Attack Against Group of Black Men

A federal grand jury in Gainesville, Florida, returned a six-count indictment charging David Emanuel, 61, with committing hate crimes for his racially motivated attack on a group of Black men who were surveying land along a public road in Cedar Key, Florida.

The indictment returned by a federal grand jury alleges that on Sept. 6, 2022, Emanuel willfully intimidated the victim, F.D.D., and attempted to injure, intimidate and interfere with him, through the use of Emanuel's vehicle, because of F.D.D.'s race and color.

Emanuel is further alleged to have willfully intimidated and interfered with, and attempted to intimidate and interfere with, five additional victims, through the use of his vehicle, because of the victims' race and color. According to the indictment, all six victims were Black males who were surveying land owned by one of the victims at the time of the alleged offenses.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division and Special Agent in Charge Sherri E. Onks of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Jacksonville Field Office and Gainesville Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Levy County Sheriff's Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Weiss for the Northern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.