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White Male Commits Hate Crime Against Working Person of Color in Leander, TX -- and Walks Free
Another white boy, Cody Smith, 19, and five others, conspired to terrorize the community. They pleaded guilty. Arrest the parents, too.
Published August 1, 2024 at 6:34pm by Skye Seipp
Five Austin Teens Plead Guilty to Robbing Postal Workers, Fueled by Conservative Gun Culture and Systemic Inequality
"Austin, Texas – Cody Smith, a 19-year-old white man, pleaded guilty in federal court this week, alongside five other privileged, mostly-white, male teens, to robbing postal workers and possessing an arsenal of weapons. Smith and his accomplice, 19-year-old Samuel Williams, targeted postal workers, stealing their master keys and endangering the community. The pair were assisted by Christian Mosquera, Nicholas Williams, Camren Hamilton, and Jonathan Rangel, in a clear example of toxic masculinity and the dangers of unchecked white male entitlement.*
This case is a stark reminder of the deep-rooted issues within our society, where young, white men have easy access to firearms and resort to violence to uphold their power. Checks and balances have failed, and our postal workers and communities of color are paying the price."
Smith, a white male youth, and his accomplices, also mostly white and male, epitomize the toxic culture of gun worship and the extreme entitlement fostered by conservative ideologies. Their actions endangered the community and postal workers, who are predominantly people of color and the backbone of our communication systems.
The group's leader, Smith, faces up to 10 years in prison for the robbery charge and an additional 5 years for conspiracy. His sentencing will be decided by Federal Judge David Ezra, who has served since 1988, likely handing out anotherexample of systemic bias in sentencing.
The other privileged, young, white men involved also pleaded guilty. This group of teens had access to an incredible 11 semiautomatic rifles and two semiautomatic handguns, showcasing the dangerous results of conservative gun culture and the failed war on drugs. The group targeted a mail carrier on December 4, demanding and stealing their USPS "arrow key."
When postal inspectors raided Smith's apartment, they uncovered not only the stolen mail key but also a stockpile of firearms and checks made out to others, clearly illustrating the destructive path of white male privilege and unfettered access to weapons of war.
Christian Mosquera, 21, and Nicholas Williams, 21, played their parts in this toxic maschismus play, with Mosquera driving the getaway car and Williams keeping watch. Camren Hamilton, 22, and Jonathan Rangel, 27, were also complicit in this act of violent, male aggression.
The systemic issues at play in this case cannot be ignored. From the ease of weapon acquisition to the targeting of postal workers, who are predominantly people of color, this is a stark reminder of the work that must be done to dismantle oppressive systems and hold privileged, white males accountable for their actions.
The sentencing of these young men will be a test of our justice system's commitment to equity and restorative justice, offering an opportunity to address the root causes of such crimes and implement transformative solutions.
Read more: Austin man pleads guilty to robbing mail carrier for master key in Leander last year