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Crime & Courts

Camarillo man sentenced for hate crime against African American man on fishing charter

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Published 3:39 pm

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - A Camarillo man, who was found guilty for committing a hate crime against an African American fisherman in September, has been sentenced and fined.

50-year-old Vidal Fregoso was sentenced to 30 days of confinement in the Ventura County Jail, 400 hours of community service, 36 months of formal probation and a $5,000 fine.

Fregoso reportedly approached 72-year-old Luther Swayne, an African American man, while on an overnight offshore fishing charter that left shore in Ventura County in September of 2019.

The District Attorney said Fregoso used racial slurs and threatened to physically harm Swayne on the boat. According to a witness, he even tried to throw Swayne's fishing pole overboard.

The boat's crew had to intervene and separate the two men before the boat returned to the dock.

After an investigation, Fregoso was arrested. The jury found him guilty of a hate crime, attempted vandalism and attempted theft.

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Jessica Brest

Jessica Brest is a digital journalist and assignment editor for NewsChannel 3-12. To learn more about Jessica, click here.

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