LOS ANGELES _ An Agoura Hills man who called in death threats to the Islamic Center of Southern California and posted anti-Muslim rhetoric on its Facebook page has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, the state attorney general's office announced Friday.
Mark Feigin, 41, called the center twice in September 2016, at one point threatening to kill its members because of his "hatred for Muslims and his belief that Muslims will destroy the United States," Los Angeles Police Department Cmdr. Horace Frank said at a news conference after Feigin's arrest.
The LAPD launched an investigation into the threats and arrested Feigin during a traffic stop weeks after the calls, Frank said. Police searched his Agoura Hills home and found several guns _ rifles, shotguns, handguns _ and thousands of rounds of ammunition, the commander said.
One of Feigin's defense attorneys, Robert Sheahen, said at the time that his client was a collector but never fired the weapons or planned on using them.
According to the attorney general's office, Feigin pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of harassing electronic communications and attempting to dissuade an officer from testifying against him. His sentencing is scheduled for May 10.
"We will not turn a blind eye to violent threats targeted at individuals based on prejudice, whether because of race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation," California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement. "An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. The California Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute those who commit crimes motivated by hate. This plea reinforces our commitment."
