A Maryland man was indicted on hate crimes charges Thursday for allegedly carrying out a yearslong scheme that involved impersonating an officer in order to assault gay men at Washington’s Meridian Hill Park, according to federal prosecutors.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia said that Michael Pruden, 48, was charged with five counts of assault, one count of impersonating an officer and a hate crimes sentencing enhancement that alleged Mr. Pruden assaulted four of the victims because of their perceived sexual orientation.
Mr. Pruden went to Meridian Hill Park, also known as Malcolm X Park, on five separate instances between April 2018 to March 2021.
Federal prosecutors said that the park is a known meeting spot for men seeking sex with other men.
In each instance, Mr. Pruden would go to the park after dark and pretend to be a U.S. Park Police officer. He would shine a flashlight at the victims, give them police-style commands and then spray them with a chemical irritant.
The attorney’s office said that Mr. Pruden was arrested in Norfolk, Virginia, on Thursday.
He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for each assault count and a three-year maximum sentence for impersonating a federal officer.
Hate crimes sentencing enhancement increases the range of the potential sentence for the assault counts.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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