United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis handed the man convicted of a hate crime targeting his Black neighbor the maximum sentence allotted in this case. Judge Lewis ordered that Jonathan Andrew Felkel must serve 108 months—nine years—in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Lewis ordered that fines attached to the charged be waived.
Escorted by two U.S. marshals into the courtroom, just before the hearing began, Felkel waved and blew kisses to his family members present inside of the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse towards the back of the room.
Felkel's sentencing comes just a day before the one-year anniversary of the initial incident. On July 17, 2025, Felkel admitted to driving into the Spring Valley community where both he and victim, Jarvis McKenzie, lived, looking for "black criminals". Felkel fired a shotgun in the air and shouted "You better keep running, boy!" while McKenzie stood at the community gate. McKenzie says he and his family still reside in that neighborhood today.
Investigators say Felkel admitted to law enforcement officers that he believed black people were committing crimes in his neighborhood and assumed criminality of McKenzie due to his race. During interviews, federal prosecutors say Felkel made statements about wanting to take people into the field and get rid of them. Just before sentencing, prosecutors revealed that Felkel admitted that he initially intended to shoot Felkel, but in a split second decision, shot into the air instead.
Prosecutors say Felkel's actions and revelations are "jarring," to the community and emphasize the need for maximum sentencing to deter similar actions from Felkel in the future, but also any member of the public from committing hate crimes. Prosecutors say that any other black man could have been McKenzie in this situation, and encouraged the court to recognize the seriousness of such events.
Judge Lewis says the incident is an "unfortunate occurrence." She said the sentence must reflect how bad Felkel's actions were and say he "deserves a stiff sentence." Judge Lewis highlighted the nature of the incident happening in a residential zone and the nature of Felkel looking for black criminals.
Judge Lewis says Felkel's actions were "dangerous," and "crazy," and said the maximum sentence to demonstrate racial fear and hate will not be tolerated.
Ahead of sentencing, McKenzie strode to the podium to read a victim impact statement before the court. He says the July 17th incident "forever changed," the lives of him and his family. McKenzie says their home, something that should be considered a place of safety and refuge, is no longer that. He asked Judge Lewis to impose the maximum sentence allotted.
Defense attorney's acknowledged the severity of the crime committed and say Felkel "has remorse," for his actions and the impact it has made on the lives of McKenzie and his family. They say Felkel is "truly sorry," for the pain that he has created.
The defense say suffered, "visual and audible delusions," citing his substance abuse issues he was dealing with during the time of the incident. Felkel suffers from diabetes, and defense attorney's say he was self-medicating. The defense urged the Judge to consider drug rehabilitation, as well as, psychiatric and physical treatment for McKenzie.
Felkel apologized to McKenzie in court. He says he accepts accountability for his actions and says if he could go back to that day, he would have never done what he did.
McKenzie says he accepts Felkel's apology. "I don't think it was genuine. All I can do is accept it or not accept, but i don't think it was genuine."
South Carolina does not have a state hate crime law. Felkel is the first person charged under the Richland County's hate crime ordinance. In a press conference post-sentencing, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says he "doubts" if South Carolina will ever have a statewide hate crime law, but says hate crimes will still be prosecuted in counties with hate crime ordinances and federally.
Lott said Felkel, "showed remorse here in court. He didn't show any remorse that morning. He's showing remorse now cause he got caught."
Lott said, "a drug problem doesn't impact your heart, that's what hate is." Lott says he agrees with the Judge's sentencing, "justice was served today." He says that today is an example of what's going to happen to any member of the public who go out and do similar.
Tyler Bailey, McKenzie's lawyer, says that any further action they take will be for full justice and healing. "The state should continue to prosecute him for his state crimes, and we will pursue, lightly, a civil action for the same."
Regarding the lack of a response from McKenzie's HOA, Bailey says he has not seen any action in the past year by the HOA to either "make them feel comfortable about being there or letting others know that nothing regarding firearms, discrimination, [or] racism has any place in the neighborhood." Bailey says they plan to take some legal courses on this matter soon, and will provide more information in the future.
Overall, McKenzie says he hopes that no one else and their children will have to go through what he did. "I feel like I got some justice," he said.
