Oxnard man convicted of hate crimes against transgender woman

An Oxnard man has been convicted of hate crimes against a transgender woman stemming from a 2015 assault, prosecutors said Thursday.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, a jury on Wednesday convicted Juan Navarro, 27, guilty of making criminal threats, brandishing a deadly weapon, possession of a concealed dagger and battery against a person because of gender and sexual orientation.

The jury deliberated for about a day after three days of hearing arguments and testimony, according to Ventura County Superior Court records.

The victim was walking through Oxnard when Navarro, whom she did not know, began making unwanted sexual advances, prosecutors claimed.

"After being rebuffed by the victim, Navarro realized that she was biologically male. Navarro dragged the victim into a nearby alley, where he brandished a 10-inch knife and repeatedly threatened the victim's life while using epithets directed at the victim's gender and sexual orientation," prosecutors said in a statement Thursday.

When the victim tried to escape, Navarro punched her in the face and repeatedly kicked her while on the ground. She was able to flee and call police, the district attorney's office said.

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Meanwhile, Navarro was detained by local security officers until Oxnard police arrived. The knife was found in his possession, prosecutors said.

Navarro was convicted of all five charges filed against him. He was also facing several special allegations that were also found to be true, according to Ventura County Superior Court records.

Among the special allegations were that he personally used a knife, the crime violated someone's civil rights and it rose to the level of a serious felony.

Navarro had been out on bail during the trial but was remanded into Ventura County jail custody after the verdict was read. He is to remain there until he is sentenced at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 23 in Courtroom 23, according to court records.

He faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 10 years and four months in state prison, prosecutors said.