Hate on the Ridge

A Magalia man was charged with a hate crime for allegedly spewing racial slurs and threatening a man, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release on Tuesday (Sept. 20).

Several witnesses reported that on Sept. 12, 63-year-old Richard Cosentino threatened a man waiting with his son at a bus stop on Imperial Way. Cosentino allegedly used racial slurs and said he was going home to get his gun to shoot the victim. He reportedly left and returned several minutes later, appearing to hide something behind his back. The victim and witnesses then left the scene.

BCSO followed up with eight high school students who witnessed the incident, and on Sept. 13 searched Cosentino’s home, finding two guns and ammunition. Cosentino was arrested on Sunday (Sept. 18) and booked into Butte County Jail with bail set at $500,000.