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by ERIN PARROTT
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Nearly a year after a racially motivated shooting inside a Richland County neighborhood shocked South Carolina, a white man who admitted targeting his black neighbor because of his race has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison.
Jonathan Andrew Felkel, 34, of Columbia was sentenced to 108 months (followed by three years of supervised release) by U.S. district court judge Mary Geiger Lewis last Thursday (July 16, 2026). Felkel’s sentencing came after he pleaded guilty to violating the federal housing rights of his black neighbor – identified only as J.M. – under U.S. civil rights law.
Prosecutors said the sentence stemmed from a July 17, 2025 confrontation in which Felkel fired a gun while shouting, “you better keep running, boy!” at the victim as he stood near the entrance to the gated community where both men lived.
The sentencing marked the latest chapter in a case that previously drew statewide attention after Felkel became the first person charged under Richland County’s local hate crime ordinance. That ordinance did not impact Felkel’s federal case, as prosecutors secured an indictment on other charges.
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In March of this year, Felkel admitted he intentionally targeted the victim because he was black, telling investigators he believed black people were responsible for crime in his neighborhood – and that he had assumed the victim was a criminal based solely on his race.
He also acknowledged hoping to intimidate the man into leaving the neighborhood and “not be around this area.”
“Today, we have delivered justice for Jonathan Andrew Felkel’s disturbing, racially motivated attack on the victim,” assistant attorney general Harmeet K. Dhillon said. “Hate crimes not only harm individuals, but undermine the fabric of our communities. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute such cases to restore safety and confidence in our neighborhoods.”
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U.S. attorney Bryan Stirling said racially motivated violence “will not be tolerated in South Carolina,” while FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore called the attack one that caused “irreparable harm” and expressed hope the sentence would allow both the victim and the broader community to begin healing.
Richland County sheriff Leon Lott echoed those sentiments, saying Felkel’s actions reflected “hate in (his) heart” and that the outcome demonstrated the close partnership between local and federal authorities in pursuing hate crime prosecutions.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar Fyall, along with Trial attorney Sarah Armstrong of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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