NEW YORK ( CNN ) -- Three Staten Island men are charged with violating voting rights , accused of assaulting African-Americans after Barack Obama 's win in the November presidential election , authorities said Wednesday . A grand jury indicted Ralph Nicoletti , 18 , Michael Contreras , 18 , and Brian Carranza , 21 , on charges of conspiracy to interfere with voting rights . All three pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday afternoon . According to the indictment , the three `` knowingly and intentionally '' conspired to intimidate African-Americans `` in the free exercise and enjoyment of a right ... and because of having so exercised that right , to wit , the right to vote . '' Nicoletti and Carranza are white , and Contreras is Latino . They face up to 10 years in prison if convicted . At the arraignment , Nicoletti and Contreras were ordered held without bail , while Carranza was released on a $ 200,000 bond but ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device . Contreras ' attorney , public defender Len Kamdang , could not be reached for comment . Nicoletti 's attorney , Bob LaRusso , had no comment . Prosecutors said in court filings that on the night of November 4 , the defendants were at a `` makeshift outdoor clubhouse '' in the Rosebank section of Staten Island when they learned of Obama 's victory . At that point , prosecutors said , Nicoletti drove Contreras , Carranza and another friend to the predominantly African-American Park Hill neighborhood in Staten Island . Their purpose , prosecutors said , was to assault African-Americans because of Obama 's win . Their first victim , according to the U.S. Attorney 's Office , was 17-year-old Ali Kamara , whom they beat with a metal pipe and a collapsible police baton . Kamara escaped after suffering a concussion and injuries to his legs . `` The first swing that swung -- it hit my head . It cut my head , '' Kamara told CNN affiliate WABC . `` I got staples on my head now . '' Kamara said he hid in a neighbor 's backyard until the boys moved on . Continuing to the Port Richmond section of Staten Island , the group assaulted a second African-American man , pushing him down , the federal prosecutors alleged . They then allegedly accosted a Latino man , demanding to know how he voted , and shouted profanities about Obama at a group of African-Americans at a hair salon . Next , prosecutors said , the group targeted Ronald Forte , a man they mistakenly believed to be African-American who was walking along Blackford Avenue in predominantly African-American Port Richmond . Forte is white , but because he was wearing a hoodie , the men were unable to identify his race and assumed that he was African-American . According to the indictment , the men decided to assault Forte with the police baton as they drove by , but at the last moment , Nicoletti swerved the vehicle directly into the 38-year-old man instead . Forte was thrown onto the hood of the car , shattering the front windshield . According to Staten Island Real Time News ( silive.com ) , Forte was in a coma for 45 days , returning to his family 's home in New Jersey in mid-December , said his mother , Eileen . She added that her son now has serious brain damage and motor control problems . `` He 's not good . He 's never going to be good , '' she said . `` Every day , I just see something different , and it 's so scary . '' U.S. Attorney Benton J. Campbell decried the attacks . `` Violence and intimidation aimed at interfering with the constitutional rights of every citizen , including the right to vote , will not be tolerated , '' he said in a written statement . According to the U.S. Attorney 's Office , Nicoletti has an extensive history of violent criminal activity including burglary , car break-ins , firebombing , assault , and marijuana and cocaine distribution . He is also a member of the `` Rosebank Crew '' ( RBK ) founded by his now-incarcerated younger brother , Anthony Nicoletti . Investigators found a cache of weapons and police batons stolen from vehicles owned by police , as well as letters from Nicoletti 's brother urging Ralph to maintain RBK loyalty and not cooperate with authorities . Nicoletti and three others approached Contreras three weeks ago at his house , believing he was cooperating with authorities , according to a filing with the U.S. Attorney 's Office . They allegedly attacked him and called him a snitch , according to a letter from Assistant U.S . Attorneys Pamela Chen and Margo Brodie to the judge in the case . The letter petitions for home confinement , drug testing and other pretrial release conditions for Nicoletti and Carranza . The judge has not responded to the request . CNN 's Mythili Rao and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .
Police says three men conspired to intimidate African - Americans . They ' ve pleaded not guilty of conspiracy to interfere with civil rights . One held without bail ; other out on bail with explosive device . Prosecutors : Men went to African - American homes , assaulted 3 people .