Richland County man pleads guilty to hate crime in federal court

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — A Richland County man has pleaded guilty to violating the housing rights of his Black neighbor in federal court.

Thirty-four-year-old Jonathan Felkel entered a guilty plea in front of U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, becoming the first person in Richland County to be charged under the county’s recent hate crime ordinance.

U.S. Attorneys say Felkel admitted that he intended to scare the victim, Jarvis McKenzie, who lived in the same neighborhood, because he didn’t want McKenzie living there — also admitting he believed because McKenzie is Black, that he must be connected to “dangerous criminals.”

Prosecutors and officers spoke to media outside the courtroom after Thursday’s hearing.

“This plea means accountability. It means a step towards justice for the victim…the victims. The FBI will always work as hard as we can to protect our communities and ensuring folks feel safe. Our law enforcement team is committed to doing just that — keeping our communities safe,” says Special Agent in Charge with the Columbia FBI, Kevin Moore.

Last July, U.S. Attorneys say Felkel can be seen at the gate of both he and McKenzie’s Spring Valley community, firing a gun at McKenzie while the victim was on his way to work.

Felkel also shouted, “You better run, boy!” from his car.

“The only reason why he did what he did intimidating and shot in the air is because based on his race because he is Black. That’s disturbing that we still have people like that in our community, what you saw today and you’ve seen for the last nine months is how quickly we can investigate a case and bring someone to justice,” says Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott.

Though Richland and Orangeburg Counties have hate crime ordinances, SC remains one of two states without a hate crime law.

Lott says he hopes Thursday’s guilty plea leads to a statewide hate crime law.

“It’s still a shame we’re only one of two states in the whole United States that doesn’t have it. Luckily, we do have a U.S. Attorney’s Office who will prosecute someone for that.

U.S. Attorneys say Felkel will be officially sentenced in 90 to 100 days. However, they say he has agreed to serve at least eight to nine years in prison for the felony — with the judge allowed to give a maximum sentence of 10 years.