A Los Angeles County employee was charged with hate crimes after he allegedly made multiple death threats against a colleague who is of Asian descent, the LA County District Attorney’s Office said.
Bhavin Patel, 42, was charged with criminal threats, second-degree burglary and violation of civil rights.
Investigators said Patel burglarized the County Hall of Administration on three separate occasions, on Aug. 25, Aug. 26 and Sept. 4, to place “prepared threats” on the co-worker’s desk and other cubicles “for the purpose of instilling fear in the victim.”
“As soon as we learned of these hateful acts, we reached out to the Sheriff’s Department to help investigate and identify the perpetrator, while offering support to those maliciously targeted,” County Counsel Dawyn Harrison said in a statement. “The Office of County Counsel, and the County as a whole, have zero tolerance for harassment of any kind and hate crimes are particularly heinous.”
After his bail was set at $575,000, Patel posted bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 4.
“Everyone deserves a safe workplace and no one deserves to be vilified for their race or ethnicity,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. “My office has no tolerance for acts of hate, which terrorize victims and send waves of fear throughout our county’s diverse communities.”
If convicted as charged, Patel faces a maximum sentence of 13 years and four months in state prison.