(CNN) Clifton Blackwell, the Milwaukee man accused of throwing acid last week on a US citizen born in Peru, is being charged in Wisconsin circuit court with a hate crime, according to a criminal complaint.

Blackwell, 61, faces one count of first-degree reckless injury, the complaint says.

State law stipulates that if the defendant "intentionally selects the person against whom the crime ... is committed ... in whole or in part because of the actor's belief or perception regarding the race, religion, color, disability, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry of that person" a hate crime enhancement of five years could be added to a sentence.

If convicted, Blackwell could be sentenced to up to 35 years in prison because the alleged hate crime involved the use of a weapon, which can also add five years to a sentence.

It is unclear whether Blackwell has an attorney.

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