A 24-year-old man from Auburn, Washington, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle to a hate crime involving bodily injury and the use of a dangerous weapon. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd.
Court records state that on March 7, 2024, Adan C. Hernandez-Mayoral made derogatory remarks about Black people while riding a King County Metro bus. When a Black woman looked at him after hearing the comments, he yelled at her not to look at him and continued making racist statements, including calling her “Rosa Parks” and telling her to move to the back of the bus. The woman then walked to the front of the bus to call police, with Hernandez-Mayoral following her.
When the bus stopped, Hernandez-Mayoral pushed the woman off and assaulted her. He pulled out a knife and thrust it several times toward her abdomen before fleeing. The victim’s heavy coat prevented serious injury from the knife, but she did sustain bodily harm.
Kent Police searched for Hernandez-Mayoral after receiving a report from a neighbor about someone hiding in their yard who matched the suspect's description seen on Metro surveillance video. Officers arrested Hernandez-Mayoral hiding under a car near where the assault occurred.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 57 months in prison for Hernandez-Mayoral, with this sentence running concurrently with any punishment handed down in related King County Superior and District court cases. However, Judge James L. Robart is not required to follow this recommendation and may impose any sentence permitted by law.
The Kent Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated this case. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office provided significant assistance and worked closely with federal prosecutors.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Manca for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Tenette R. Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting this case. According to the release: "Ms. Manca leads the criminal civil rights investigations for the Western District of Washington."
Hernandez-Mayoral is scheduled for sentencing on March 17, 2026 before Judge Robart.
