A 25-year-old man has pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime after setting a fire outside a Seattle nightclub called Queer/Bar, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Kalvinn Garcia of Sedro Woolley, Washington, set fire to the contents of a dumpster in the alley directly behind the club on Feb. 24, 2020, based on documents filed in connection with the plea. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“The defendant targeted the patrons inside Queer/Bar, a known safe space for the LGBTQI+ community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a May 26 press release….