Richland County man convicted of hate crime set to be sentenced

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (WOLO)– A Richland County man convicted of a hate crime last year is set to be sentenced Thursday, July 16.

Jonathan Felkel was arrested by RCSD in connection with a hate crime. (Photo: Richland County Sheriff’s Department)

Jonathan Felkel pled guilty in federal court for violating the housing rights of his Black neighbor Jarvis McKenzie.

According to investigators, in July of 2025 Felkel pulled up to the gate at the Spring Valley Housing Development and fired a gun at McKenzie to scare him.

Felkel became the first person in Richland County to be charged under the new hate crime ordinance.

In his plea deal, he agreed to serve 8 to 9 years in prison.

His sentencing starts at 2 p.m. at the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse.