{"id":124747,"date":"2026-01-20T11:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T11:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/124747\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T11:00:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T11:00:06","slug":"usf-muslim-prayer-disruption-results-in-misdemeanor-charges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/124747\/","title":{"rendered":"USF Muslim prayer disruption results in misdemeanor charges"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/a>The Hillsborough County State Attorney\u2019s Office has officially charged three men, who are unaffiliated with USF, with misdemeanors. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE\/MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATION<\/p>\n

The three men who interrupted a USF student prayer session in November were formally charged<\/a> with disturbing a religious assembly and disorderly conduct on Jan. 15.\u00a0<\/p>\n

During a Muslim Student Association<\/a> Fajr and Breakfast event<\/a> on Nov. 18<\/a>, Richard Penkoski, Christopher Svochak and Ricardo Yepez approached 11 students at the top of the Collins Boulevard Parking Facility.<\/p>\n

There, the three men disrupted<\/a> the Muslim students\u2019 prayers, yelled obscenities, told them they would be \u201cgoing to hell\u201d and dangled bacon in front of them.<\/p>\n

On Nov. 21<\/a>, University Police issued a statement saying it would recommend a hate crime charge against each of the individuals \u2014 which could later be elevated to a felony.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, the Hillsborough County State Attorney\u2019s Office issued a press release<\/a> on Jan. 15 stating it did not move forward with hate crime charges against the men.<\/p>\n

Instead, the Attorney\u2019s Office charged the men with criminal misdemeanors for disturbing a religious assembly<\/a> and disorderly conduct<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile one\u2019s words may be offensive, the criminal justice system punishes actions, not words alone,\u201d a Hillsborough County State Attorney\u2019s Office press release<\/a> wrote. \u201cBoth the Florida Constitution and United States Constitution protect offensive viewpoints as much as our freedom to practice our religion.\u201d<\/p>\n

No arrests have been made, and the defendants are set to appear in court, according to the press release.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For a criminal misdemeanor in disorderly conduct, defendants can be sentenced to a maximum of 60 days of jail time, $500 in fines and a permanent criminal record, according to Mesic Law<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A criminal misdemeanor for disturbing a religious assembly has the same limits, but can be escalated to a hate crime if it is reclassified under Florida Statute 775.085<\/a> \u2014 which can occur if a defendant is found guilty of prejudice based on religion, according to the Florida Senate<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While the current charges differ from those originally filed by UP, the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Florida \u201cwelcomed<\/a>\u201d the decision.<\/p>\n

Related: \u2018Stand with us\u2019: Muslim students call on USF for a stronger response after prayer harassment<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the defendants, Penkoski, leads an online Christian ministry known as \u201cWarriors for Christ<\/a>\u201d \u2014 which the Southern Poverty Law Center<\/a> designated as a hate group in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In November, the defendants livestreamed the USF student prayer interruption on the \u201cWarriors for Christ<\/a>\u201d YouTube channel.<\/p>\n

A UP press release later informed that Penkoski, from Oklahoma, Svochak, from Texas, and Yepez, from Tampa, are unaffiliated<\/a> with the university.<\/p>\n

All three men were issued trespass orders to prevent them from returning to campus, according to UP<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now that the men have been formally charged for the incident, CAIR-Florida has issued its own press release.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CAIR-Florida\u2019s mission aims to empower American Muslims by educating others on Islam and protecting civil rights and justice, according to its website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hiba Rahim, the interim executive director of CAIR-Florida, said<\/a> the charges hold the men accountable for their behavior and send a clear message \u2014 that harassment of students practicing their faith is unacceptable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we believe the evidence of bias in this case is significant, we respect the strategic decision to pursue charges that offer the most direct path to a conviction,\u201d Rahim said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rahim said CAIR-Florida\u2019s \u201cprimary focus\u201d is to ensure Muslim students\u2019 safety on college campuses and to protect the constitutional right to worship without fear.<\/p>\n

The U.S.<\/a> and Florida<\/a> Constitutions defend the right to practice religion under the First Amendment.<\/p>\n

Wilfredo Ruiz, the communications director for CAIR-Florida, said in a statement<\/a> that the prosecution of the three men is a \u201cvital step\u201d in protecting constitutional freedoms.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are hopeful that this case reinforces that Florida must remain a place where all people can pray in peace and dignity, free from targeted harassment,\u201d Ruiz said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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