Matthew J. Mont (l) and Curt J. Hatton (r)
Two teenagers were arrested Tuesday for a hate crime after allegedly attacking a Ecuadorean man while using anti-Mexican slurs near the Patchogue train station nearly two weeks ago, Suffolk police said.
Matthew J. Mont, 16, of Patchogue, and Curt J. Hatton, 19, of Islip, were each charged with assault as a hate crime for the Aug. 14 attack on Division Street near West Avenue. Hate Crimes Unit detectives had previously arrested a third suspect, Ramon Rodriguez, 20, of Patchogue, on an identical charge.
Mont and Hatton pleaded not guilty during their arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Wednesday. Bail was set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond for all three.
Also Wednesday, Judge Stephen Lotto granted an order of protection against the suspects in the case to ensure they stay way from the victim, Milton Balbuca, if they are released on bail.
The victim, a 22-year-old day laborer, told investigators three white teens who were hanging out in a parking lot called him over while he was walking home, engaged him in a conversation, then struck him in the face and knocked him to the ground. The trio also allegedly stole his cash, sneakers and T-shirt, police said.
The bleeding, wounded victim walked to the train station, where someone called for help. He was treated for cuts and bruises at a nearby hospital and was released. His name has not been released.
A call to Hatton’s attorney was not immediately returned Wednesday. Mont’s attorney was out of the office and unavailable for comment.
The allegations are reminiscent of the November 2008 fatal stabbing of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero, which helped spur an ongoing U.S. Justice Department investigation into bias crimes on eastern Long Island.
Lucero, a 37-year-old dry cleaning worker who was also an Ecuadorean immigrant, was stabbed and killed near the same train station in November. Seven teenagers have pleaded not guilty to hate crime and other charges in Lucero’s death.
Authorities said some of the teens had attacked local Hispanics in a series of incidents stretching back a year, prompting an outcry from Hispanic residents who said police hadn’t taken the earlier assaults seriously in Patchogue.
Police have emphasized that since Lucero’s death, they have been particularly sensitive to crimes against Hispanic immigrants.
With Associated Press
