Man Sentenced to 540 Days Jail, Drug Treatment in MTA Threats
A judge has ordered jail time and counseling for a Lancaster man who shouted racial slurs and death threats at several MTA bus passengers, prosecutors said Friday.
Los Angeles Municipal Judge Alan Ellis on Thursday sentenced James Thomas Araque, 35, to 540 days in jail and six months of drug treatment, Deputy City Atty. Brian Williams said.
Araque, who was also placed on three years’ probation, pleaded no contest to a hate crime charge and being under the influence of cocaine, Williams said.
Officers arrested Araque about 1 p.m. Wednesday after he allegedly shouted racial slurs and threatened to shoot several passengers as he boarded an MTA bus in Los Angeles, Williams said.
Officers caught up to Araque when he got off at Wilshire Boulevard and Detroit Street.
They said Araque was sweating profusely and had eyelid and facial tremors. A search later turned up a metal smoking pipe in his shirt pocket, Williams said.
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