⏱ 2 min read
COLUMBIA, SC – Jonathan Felkel, 34, copped a plea in federal court today, admitting he deliberately terrorized his Black neighbor, identified as J.M., in a brazen act of racial intimidation.
According to court records, on July 17th, 2025, Felkel was entering their gated community when he spotted J.M. at the entrance. Witnesses say Felkel responded by firing a gun into the air and screaming, “You better run, boy!”
The feds say Felkel later confessed he wanted to scare J.M. into leaving the neighborhood, believing his race connected him to “dangerous criminals.” He told investigators he hoped the outburst would send J.M. packing, that he “didn’t need to be around this area.”
Felkel now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars, a $250,000 fine, and a period of supervised release after serving his time. Judge Mary Geiger Lewis will hand down the sentence at a later date.
The investigation was a joint effort by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar Fyall, along with Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, are prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- State: SC
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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