Man Accused of Making False Statements in Hate Crime Attack

Dodge City, KS (westernkansasnews.com) A man accused of a hate crime has admitted to one count of giving false statements in a federal hate crime arising from an assault of three Somali men two years ago in Dodge City.

28 year old Diego Martinez pleaded guilty in court Thursday of making a false statement that he had been with an unknown woman at the time of the attack and that his cell phone stopped working after the assault, when in fact Martinez contacted one of the assailants. Both statements were determined to be false.

Sentencing is set for June 1st.  Martinez could receive up to five years in prison.