An employee at Los Angeles County Counsel is being charged with felony hate crimes for allegedly sending death threats to an Asian co-worker, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Bhavin Patel, 42, was charged with three felony counts each of criminal threats, second-degree burglary and violation of civil rights, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said.
Patel worked for the Office of the County Counsel which provides legal advice to the Board of Supervisors, county departments and other county entities.
Patel allegedly burglarized the County Hall of Administration on Aug. 25, Aug. 26 and Sept. 4 with prepared threats, which prosecutors say he placed on his co-worker’s desk and nearby cubicles for the purpose of instilling fear in the victim.
Patel was arrested, with bail set at $575,000. Patel posted bond and is due in court for arraignment on Nov. 4 in downtown Los Angeles.
If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of 13 years and four months in state prison, authorities said.
“My office has no tolerance for acts of hate, which terrorize victims and send waves of fear throughout our county’s diverse communities,” Hochman said. “Everyone deserves a safe workplace and no one deserves to be vilified for their race or ethnicity. I commend the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for working swiftly and thoroughly on this case. We will do everything we can to seek justice for the victim and ensure their safety.”
The case remains under investigation by the LASD’s Hate Crimes Task Force.
I have a fiance that got a threat letter on her desk and she worked with this person. And she has a letter and myself has her husband and I guarantee it’s him
Bhavin was our back up supervisor at his previous office. There were a bunch of death threat letters at our office & we were also receiving phone calls from a robotic voice saying disgusting things.