Vancouver men charged with hate crime

Two Vancouver men were arrested by federal agents Wednesday and accused of a racially motivated attack at a downtown tavern.

Zachary Beck, 31, and Kory Boyd, 25, are charged in U.S. District Court with conspiracy to violate civil rights and interference with a federally protected right. They were to make a preliminary court appearance at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in Tacoma.

They are accused in connection with a Jan. 7 incident at Captain’s Sports Bar in downtown Vancouver. According to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office, Beck approached the bartender and told him that the lone black man at the bar “had to leave.” Beck and Boyd then allegedly stepped out of the bar and discussed with others physically attacking the black man.

Upon re-entering the bar, prosecutors say Beck told the man at the bar to leave and attempted to hit him. Boyd allegedly threw a glass bottle, shattering the patron with broken glass.

A fight ensued, and a third man, Lawrence Silk, 24, aided in the alleged assault and threatened to stab the victim, according to the news release.

At one point during the exchange, Silk used a racial slur and exclaimed, “You’re dead,” according to court records.

The victim, who was not identified in court records, suffered a minor bruise on his right arm during the fracas.

Silk pleaded guilty to one count of malicious harassment in Clark County Superior Court and was sentenced to two years in prison, court records show.

If convicted, Beck and Boyd would be likely to face a more severe punishment. They could serve up to 10 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. attorney. Beck was also charged with witness tampering and is accused of asking his former girlfriend to provide an alibi for the night of the attack.

The Associated Press reported that Beck ran unsuccessfully for city council in Hayden, Idaho-, in 2003. That year he was charged with punching a man in a parking lot after asking him if he was Mexican.