Costa Mesa man’s alleged attack on transgender woman being prosecuted as felony assault, hate crime

A Costa Mesa man was being held in an Orange County jail Monday on charges of assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly beating a transgender woman with a skateboard during an incident Thursday that prosecutors are calling a hate crime.

The county district attorney’s office said in a release issued Friday that Johnny Santos Moreno, 23, is facing felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon, dissuading a witness by force and violation of civil rights through violent injury, in addition to a felony hate crime enhancement.

Charges stem from an incident Thursday, during which Moreno allegedly hurled derogatory and homophobic epithets at a transgender woman, disparaging her sexuality as he repeatedly hit her with his skateboard, prosecutors stated in the release.

A passing motorist witnessed the incident and called the Costa Mesa Police Department to report the attack, at which point Moreno allegedly used his skateboard to threaten the motorist for calling the police, according to the release.

Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said in a statement Friday that differences in skin color, sexuality and religion should be causes for celebration of diversity, not targets for “haters” to mock, deride, harm and harass others.

“No one should have to live in the shadow of fear that they will be targeted and physically attacked because of the way they dress, speak, behave or who they love,” Spitzer said in the release. “Those who engage in hate-motivated crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law here in Orange County.”

Moreno is currently being held at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange on $50,000 bail, according to prosecutors. He appeared before a judge Friday, at which time he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Information as to the condition of the victim or the extent of her injuries were not available Monday.

Court records show Moreno has been convicted of various misdemeanor offenses in recent years, including multiple charges of possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia, trespassing and refusing to leave an area at an officer’s request.

His next scheduled court appearance is March 26, court records indicate. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Dist. Atty. Jake Jondle of the office’s Special Prosecutions Unit.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.