An Oxnard man has been convicted by a jury for multiple felony hate crimes and other offenses from a racially-motivated attack against a Ventura black couple and faces a sentencing of up to seven years in state prison, according to authorities.
The jury found the Oxnard man guilty of felony criminal threats, attempted second degree commercial burglary, exhibiting a deadly weapon and violation of civil rights, according to a Ventura County District Attorney’s Office news release. The jury found true the man’s hate crime allegations related to the criminal threat and attempted burglary and weapon-usage enhancements. The man admitted to aggravating factors including engaging in violent actions, serving a prison term and being on probation at the time of the offenses.
On October 12, the Black couple entered a Ventura business on East Thompson Boulevard, according to the news release. The Oxnard man was “sitting out front” of the business and “immediately began yelling racial slurs at them and repeatedly threatened to kill” the husband, the release says.
The Oxnard man then “began banging on the business’s front door with his fist before kicking and body slamming the door to get inside,” the release says. The man “removed a knife from his pocket and stabbed at the glass door multiple times while continuing to issue death threats” and the couple “feared for their lives and called 911,” the release says.
Ventura Police Department officers responded, recognized the Oxnard man from prior contact and arrested him, the release says.
The Oxnard man is scheduled for sentencing at Ventura County Superior Court on June 4 and being held in Ventura Count jail without bail, the release and jail records show. He faces a maximum of seven years in state prison, the release says.
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This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard man, 72, convicted of hate crimes in Ventura racial attack
Reporting by Staff reports, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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