California resident William Stepanyan has agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges for assaulting five people in a Turkish restaurant in 2020, according to the US Department of Justice website.

On November 4, 2020, Stepanyan sent a text message to his friends that “hunting for [T]urks”. 

On the same day, he, together with Harutyun Chalikyan and other Armenians, decided to oppose Turkey's aggression against Armenians.

Several people were injured in the attack. Stepanyan smashed the restaurant's terminal and stole an iPhone from one of the victims.

The restaurant suffered at least $ 20,000 in damage, and then the restaurant was temporarily closed, increasing the damage by thousands of dollars.

Stepanyan faces nearly 15 years in prison.