Man pleads guilty to hate crime in Huntington Beach

A 42-year-old convicted burglar pleaded guilty Thursday to a racially motivated threat with a stun gun in Huntington Beach and was immediately sentenced to 68 days in jail, or credit for time served behind bars in the case.

Tremaine Jatari Sowell who is Black, brandished a stun gun at a 54-year-old white man on Feb. 19 while making comments about the victim’s race, according to Jennifer Carey of the Huntington Beach Police Department.

Sowell pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of violating the civil rights of the victim, according to court records. As part of the plea deal a felony count of violation of civil rights with violent injury and a misdemeanor count of possessing a stun gun with a prior conviction were dismissed.

Sowell was convicted of burglary in September 2010 and possession of drugs for sale in March 2013.

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