Missouri man enters Alford plea to hate crime charge

MARYVILLE, Mo. – A northwest Missouri man will be sentenced in December for a confrontation with a black waitress who was serving him breakfast.

Tommy Gaa, of Maryville, entered an Alford plea Thursday to a felony charge of assault motivated by discrimination.

The St. Joseph News-Press reports Gaa admitted he told a public safety officer he possibly bruised the young woman’s arm when he grabbed it at a Maryville restaurant in January.

During his plea, the 65-year-old Gaa admitted prosecutors likely could prove that he told the waitress he would like to take her to the place where he hanged her grandfather.

The crime carries a possible sentence of four years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine. He'll be sentenced Dec. 11.

This story was originally published October 29, 2015 at 1:35 PM with the headline "Missouri man enters Alford plea to hate crime charge."