| For Immediate Release Case # 09HF2368
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CAUCASIAN TRANSIENT SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON FOR UNPROVOKED HATE CRIME ATTACK OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN TEENAGE BOY
SANTA ANA – A Caucasian transient was sentenced today to eight years in state prison for committing a hate crime against an African-American teen by threatening and assaulting the victim outside of a CVS Pharmacy. Ronald Allen Bramlett, 65, pleaded guilty to the court to one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of criminal threats, and sentencing enhancements for committing a hate crime and the personal use of a deadly weapon. Bramlett admitted to a strike for a prior 1994 federal bank robbery conviction from Oregon, and a 2001 prison prior for petty theft with a prior conviction.
At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2009, 16-year-old African-American John Doe and his three friends were outside of CVS Pharmacy at 1835 Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa. The teens did not know the defendant.
Bramlett approached the group and called John Doe derogatory racial names, including “Boy” and “dirty N*****.” The defendant claimed to be a member of a well-known white supremacist gang. He stated that John Doe didn’t have the right to look at him because Bramlett had blond hair and blue eyes.
A witness intervened and attempted to stand between John Doe and the defendant, telling Bramlett to back off. The defendant refused to leave and challenged the victim to a fight. He waived a knife and threatened John Doe, “I’m going to cut you up into little pieces, boy.”
The defendant fled the scene after the witness’s wife called police. Costa Mesa police arrived and arrested Bramlett in a nearby store.
Deputy District Attorney Israel Claustro of the Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted this case.
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