A Selden accused of luring and attacking Hispanic men faced a judge Monday on hate crime charges.

Suffolk police say Christopher Cella, 19, attacked three Hispanic men ranging from the ages of 47 to 60.

Cella was charged with several hate crimes. Police say he tried to choke one of the victims.

According to police, the attacks occurred within a 24-hour period. Police say Cella brought the men by car to abandoned construction sites in Farmingville with the promise of work.

"We are also being proactive in deploying detectives out to this area seeking information from the community," says Detective Lt. Scott Welshimer.

The three men suffered minor injuries and were able to escape.

Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini released a statement saying, "The defendant allegedly targeted these victims because of their ethnicity and lured them in under false pretenses before carrying out these violent attacks. This is a highly disturbing case, and my office's Hate Crimes Task Force will work in collaboration with the SCPD Hate Crimes Unit to investigate and prosecute these incidents thoroughly."

Cella is charged with reckless endangerment as a hate crime, two counts of unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, two counts of aggravated harassment and two counts of criminal obstruction of breathing.

Cella is due back in court Sept. 24.