Detectives investigating the assault case involving four Marines who allegedly attacked a gay man outside the Silver Fox this past Monday morning have taken their case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Division.
The case, presented to the division yesterday, involved the Marines—Pfc. Sean Miller, Lance Cpl. John O’Leary, Pfc. Thomas Penteck, Lance Cpl. Lewis Serna—and the alleged assault on 30-year-old Highland resident Stacey Butler.
Butler, who identifies as gay, was supposedly attacked by one primary suspect and taunted by the others after leaving the bar following close. He was sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Two others who attempted to assist Butler had minor injuries.
Shortly after the assault, all four suspects were detained and released on bail this Wednesday to return to their units at Camp Pendelton. The U.S. Marine Corps stated that they are conducting their own private investigation.
While it is unclear what prompted the altercation—Silver Fox bartender Sky Sunday thinks it was his initial interaction with the Marines, where he had urged them to vacate the roadway due to traffic, that prompted hostility— representatives of the LBPD have stated that it is a situation which involved alcohol and a multitude of statements, thereby not indicating whether charges will be formally filed.
Anyone who may have information relating to this investigation should contact Violent Crimes Detective Ben Vargas at 562-570-7250. Anonymous tips may be submitted via text or web by visiting www.tipsoft.com.