Ohio man pleads guilty to battery after sucker-punching another at rally in Laguna Beach

A 20-year-old Ohio resident accused of sucker-punching a man at an America First! rally in Laguna Beach pleaded guilty Friday to one misdemeanor count of battery.

Richard Daniel Losey — of Lancaster, Ohio — was sentenced to 30 days in county jail and three years’ informal probation, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Losey was one of about 2,500 people who went to Main Beach in Laguna on Aug. 20 to either attend or protest the America First! rally.

Organizers said the demonstration was meant to honor victims of crimes allegedly committed by immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

Others, though, have alleged America First! — organized by Johnny Benitez — is racist and white supremacist.

According to prosecutors, Losey walked up to a man at about 8:40 p.m. and punched him multiple times in the face, ear and temple area.

About 20 minutes later, prosecutors say Losey tackled the man from behind, punched him and dragged him down the street. The district attorney’s office did not identify the man in a news release Friday.

The victim — who the Los Angeles Times identified as R.C. Maxwell — reported the attack to the Laguna Beach Police Department on Aug. 21.

The next day, Losey “was arrested without incident in Laguna Beach as he was attempting to obtain a bus ticket to Ohio,” according to a department news release.

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