USF police file hate crime charges against three men involved in Muslim student harassment case

The University of South Florida Police Department said they’ve identified and filed charges against three men shown in a video harassing a group of Muslim students on the Tampa campus.

The three individuals are identified as Christopher Svochak, 40, from Waco, Texas, Richard Penkoski, 49, of Canyon, Oklahoma and Ricardo Yepez, 28, of Tampa. They have no ties to USF.

USFPD said the men are each facing three charges, including disturbing schools and religious and other assemblies, which was upgraded to a felony under the hate crime statute.

They also face charges of disorderly conduct and disrupting school or lawful assembly, both misdemeanors.

Read more: WUSF