SALISBURY, MD - The Salisbury Police Department has arrested seven suspects on hate crime charges following a reported assault in October.
On October 31, police say they were contacted by the Salisbury University Police Department regarding an assault that allegedly took place off-campus. Investigators say they obtained a cell phone video of an adult male victim reportedly being assaulted by multiple college-aged men.
Police say they were able to identify and meet the victim, who told them a group of men used a social media account to invite the victim to a home on University Terrace under false pretenses on October 15th.
According to charging documents obtained by WBOC, the victim was contacted on dating app GRINDR by an individual claiming to be a 16-year-old. The individual claiming to be a teenager, identified by police as Zachary Leinemann, then continued speaking with the victim via text and the app Snapchat, according to police narrative. Police say Leinemann then lured the victim to the apartment on University Terrace under the pretense of sex with Leinemann, who was allegedly still posing as a 16-year-old.
The age of sexual consent in Maryland is 16, according to state law.
Upon entering the apartment, the victim told police he was ambushed and surrounded by a group of about 15 men and was forced to sit on a chair in the middle of a room. Numerous suspects then allegedly punched, kicked, and spit on the victim while calling him derogatory names.
The victim told police he tried to leave multiple times but was thrown to the floor. The assault lasted for several minutes, according to investigators, before he was finally allowed to leave.
According to charging documents, suspects warned the victim to tell no one of the incident.
The victim sustained bruising across his body as well as a broken rib, police say. According to authorities, the victim was targeted due to his sexuality and continued to fear for his safety after the incident.
The ensuing investigation led police to identify seven members or affiliates of a Salisbury University fraternity as the suspects, investigators say:
-20-year-old Ryder Baker of Olney, MD
-18-year-old Bennan Aird of Milton, DE
-20-year-old Riley Brister of Davidsonville, MD
-19-year-old Cruz Cespedes of Jarrettsville, MD
-20-year-old Dylan Earp of Gambrills, MD
-19-year-old Elijah Johnson of Crofton, MD
-18-year-old Zachary Leinemann of Crofton, MD
All seven suspects have been charged with Assault First Degree, False Imprisonment, Reckless Endangerment, and the associated Hate Crime charges.
In a statement released to the Salisbury University community, SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre called acts of violence against LGBTQ+ and ally communities are destructive and at odds with SU values.
"Moments like these are profoundly difficult to communicate," Lepre said. "As President of the University, a resident of this community, and the mother of two college students, the right words escape me – they feel inadequate in fully conveying the weight of the shock and disbelief we all share."
Lepre continued, "The thought of SU students perpetuating any crime is upsetting, but the thought of SU students perpetrating crimes of such a disturbing nature is truly horrifying."
WBOC spoke with Salisbury University spokesperson Jason Rhodes about the incident on Wednesday.
"Hate has absolutely no place at Salisbury University, and we're taking matters as far as we can," says Rhodes.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and ask anyone with information to contact them at 410-548-3165.
