A Moorpark man pleaded not guilty to felony violation of civil rights and misdemeanor disturbing the peace by challenging to a fight in Ventura Country Superior Court on Oct. 8 for allegedly committing a hate crime at a mosque last month.
The 40-year-old man had allegedly disturbed a prayer meeting when he yelled outside the Masjid Omar Muhammad Mosque in Moorpark around 7 p.m. on Sept. 23, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office news release.
He also threatened to batter a mosque member and used derogatory slurs against the member when the attendees went outside to see what was happening, DA’s officials said.
Deputies with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office found the Moorpark man a block away from the mosque and arrested him.
He was booked into Ventura County jail, but was released on $20,000 bond the next day, the DA’s office said. He is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 8.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Moorpark man pleads not guilty to charges for hate crime at mosque
