Columbia Man Arraigned Following Hate Crime Indictment

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A Columbia man accused of a hate crime was arraigned in federal court this morning. The Government moved for the defendant to be detained pending trial. The defendant waived his right to a detention hearing and will remain in custody.

Jonathan Andrew Felkel, 34, was indicted by a federal grand jury with violating the housing rights of his Black neighbor, J.M., and for using a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence.

According to court documents, on July 17, Felkel, while driving into the gated community where both he and J.M. lived, fired a gun and shouted at J.M., “You better keep running, boy!” while J.M. was standing at the gate to the community.

If convicted, Felkel faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the housing charge, and an additional 10 years in prison on the firearms charge.

The FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar Fyall of the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong and Special Legal Counsel Mark Blumberg of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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