Concord man convicted of hate crimes for attacks against Black, Hispanic men

CONCORD, N.C. — Marian Hudak was accused of terrorizing people while driving around in a truck covered in Confederate flags and controversial stickers.

Now he’s facing up to decades in prison after being convicted of federal hate crimes on Thursday.

Hudak is the man at the center of a probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was accused of threatening people because of their race and using racial slurs in Concord and Kannapolis over a two-year span.

In July of 2022, feds say that Hudak broadcast racial slurs over a loudspeaker in a Sam’s Club parking lot in Kannapolis. His truck had several flags flying, including the Confederate flag.

In December of 2022, the feds say Hudak yelled racial slurs at Black people in downtown Concord.

The FBI accused Hudak in another instance when he allegedly followed a Black man home after trying to drive him off the road. Feds say Hudak threatened the man and his girlfriend with a gun in their apartment parking lot. He also told a Hispanic neighbor to “go back to your country.”

One victim, who asked to remain unidentified, told Channel 9 last year they were glad Hudak was finally arrested.

“Everybody should be treated with respect and treated the same way. It doesn’t matter the color of your skin or where you are born,” the victim said.

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Hudak’s fate was placed in the hands of a jury hearing the case in Greensboro.

On Wednesday, Channel 9 Crime Reporter Hunter Sáenz learned that Hudak was cross-examined by federal prosecutors. Closing arguments took place Thursday morning.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office reported that Hudak was found guilty by a jury on both counts.

“It’s one thing to use racial slurs and harbor the KKK’s flag, but carrying out acts of violence fueled by naked racial animus and hatred violates the law and core principles of our democracy. [Hudak] was held accountable for his violent and unlawful attacks on Black and Hispanic members of his community,” said a statement, in part, from Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke on Thursday.

He faces up to 20 years in prison -- 10 years for each charge. He will be sentenced by a federal judge during a sentencing hearing that’s scheduled to start on May 1.

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