FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office
Contact: Dawn Fraylick, Communications Director
Office: +1 (586) 469-5737
Cell: +1 (586) 842-4421
Email: Dawn.Fraylick@macombgov.org
November 1, 2024
St. Clair Shores Man Arraigned for Alleged Assaults and Hate Crimes Towards Volunteers Handing Out Presidential Campaign Materials
Mount Clemens, MI - A 55-year-old man has been charged in connection with an incident at a tent where presidential campaign materials were being distributed.
It is alleged that on Saturday, October 12, 2024, Jason Lynch Lafond went to a tent in the VFW parking lot on Jefferson Ave. looking for presidential nominee Donald Trump campaign materials. A volunteer working the tent explained that on that day, it was a Harris/Walz presidential campaign tent. Lafond allegedly shouted derogatory slurs, including ones targeting sexual orientation. He further said that when Trump wins, he will “exterminate” people like them. Lafond returned to his vehicle and accelerated toward volunteers, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck. Lafond fled the scene.
St. Clair Shores Police Department identified the man after a thorough investigation. The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office charged Lafond with three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, a four year felony and three counts Ethnic Intimidation, a two year felony.
Proving an ethnic intimidation charge can include establishing three key elements beyond a reasonable doubt. First, the defendant must have either threatened physical harm to the victim or threatened to damage the victim’s property in a way that appeared credible. Second, the defendant’s actions must have lacked any justifiable reason. Finally, prosecutors must show that the defendant acted out of bias, targeting the victim specifically because of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or nationality. An assault charge can include a showing that the defendant took action that would cause a reasonable person to fear immediate harm.
On Thursday, October 31, 2024, Jason Lynch Lafond was arraigned in St. Clair Shores District Court where District Court Judge Mark Fratacangeli set a $50,000 personal bond. The defendant is to have no contact with any victims or witnesses and must wear a GPS tether. A Probable Cause Hearing is scheduled for Friday, November 8, 2024 at 9:00 am.
"This alleged assault was not just an assault on the victims. It was an assault on the rights of the victims to express themselves freely and safely, and impacts our entire community. Acts of violence, assaults or harassment based on someone's identity have no place here. It threatens our Democracy and the exercise of free speech in a fair and secure election,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.
Prosecutor Lucido launched the Hate Crimes Unit and secured a vital U.S. Department of Justice grant to support it. This distinction was granted to only 16 organizations nationwide last year. Lucido appointed Michigan's first and only solely-dedicated hate crimes prosecutor at a county level, ensuring robust enforcement and community education.
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office represents the People. We are committed to achieving justice and following the laws of the State of Michigan. All that are accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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