Randy Metcalf, age 40, from Dubuque, Iowa, has been charged with committing a hate crime by causing bodily injury to a person because of that person’s race.­ The charges are contained in a Complaint unsealed yesterday in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.

The Complaint alleges that, on or about January 12, 2015, Metcalf assaulted an African American male at the Northside Bar in Dubuque, Iowa, by stomping on and kicking his head. The complaint further alleges that Metcalf assaulted this man because he was African American and that Metcalf had been using racial slurs in reference to the man over the course of the night prior to the assault.

If convicted, Metcalf faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.­

Metcalf appeared today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Metcalf’s next appearance for a detention and preliminary hearing is set for 9:00 a.m. on November 20, 2015.

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dubuque Police Department.