Alleged Skinheads Plead Guilty to Beating

In the latest hate-crime case prosecuted under a joint program by county and federal law enforcement agencies, two reputed skinheads entered guilty pleas Friday to charges that they beat a Latino man in a racially motivated attack outside a Lancaster convenience store.

Randy Rojas and Brent Toner, who the FBI says are members of an Antelope Valley skinhead group called the Nazi Lowriders, entered guilty pleas to assault and hate-crime charges in Los Angeles Municipal Court. They could be sentenced to up to two years in prison.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rojas, 21, and Toner, 19, were among a group of skinheads that attacked 19-year-old David Wilkerson at a Lancaster 7-Eleven store Sept. 20, 1995.

The FBI, which is working with the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office to prosecute hate crimes in the Antelope Valley, said the attack was unprovoked.

Law enforcement officials contend that skinhead groups are waging a campaign to drive Latinos and African Americans out of the Antelope Valley.

“The Wilkerson case is yet another of a rising number of prosecutions designed by the district and U.S. attorney’s offices to stem criminal racist activities,” said Gary Auer, FBI supervisor.

Attorneys for Rojas and Toner struck a deal with prosecutors shortly before a preliminary hearing was to begin. Rojas’ attorney Andrew Levy denied the attack on Wilkerson was motivated by race.

Rojas “is half Hispanic. Why would he attack another Hispanic?” Levy asked. Wilkerson is half white, half Latino, Auer said.

Levy contended that Wilkerson was beaten because he was mistaken for someone who had attacked Rojas, Toner and friends earlier that night. The FBI did not check out that earlier attack, Levy argued.

“There is absolutely no evidence that Wilkerson was involved with an alleged prior attack on the defendants,” said Carla Arranaga, the deputy district attorney handling the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 7.