Marines Charged In Connection To Hate Incident At UMD: Police

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Two Marines have been charged in connection to a what police call a hate bias incident that happened at University of Maryland's La Plata Hall on April 29, 2023.

According to University of Maryland police, resident life staff found racial slurs against the Black community inside La Plata Hall on the 8th floor. Police were called to the residence hall around 9:18 a.m. after the discovery was made. Then around 1:41 p.m. officers were called back to the resident hall for additional racial slurs found on the eighth and ninth floors.

On Feb. 8, charges were filed against Lance Cpls. Sergio Delgado, 21, and Hayden Pritchard, 22. Pritchard has been charged with one count of race/religious property damage and one count of trespass - posted property. Delgado has been charged with one count of trespass - posted property.

Mike Lurie, a spokesperson for the University System of Maryland, said the two men charged were not enrolled in any USMD school.

The Marine Barracks Washington statement said the charges against Delgado and Pritchard “reflect conduct that is inconsistent with the exceedingly high standards the United States Marine Corps expects of its Marines.”

“Further, such behavior would not reflect the outstanding conduct and professionalism displayed by the vast majority of Marine Barracks Washington’s Marines and Sailors,” the statement said. “Should these charges be substantiated, Lance Cpl. Delgado and Lance Cpl. Pritchard will be held fully accountable for their actions.”

Both Delgado and Pritchard enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 2022 and reported to Marine Barracks Washington in December that year after completing recruit training and the School of Infantry – West at Camp Pendleton, California.