SANTA ANA — A 27-year-old Anaheim man pleaded guilty and was immediately sentenced Wednesday to four years in prison for multiple hate crimes for pepper spraying three women and a man in Costa Mesa.
Johnny Deven Young pleaded guilty to a count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and four counts of illegal use of tear gas, all felonies, as well as five misdemeanor counts of hate crimes, according to court records. He also admitted sentencing enhancements for the personal use of a deadly weapon and hate crimes.
Young has been in custody in Orange County Jail since his arrest on Sept. 21, 2022.
The attacks happened on Nov. 21, 2021, April 1, 2022, and April 17, 2022.
Young has a prior misdemeanor hate crime conviction in Nevada, according to prosecutors.
When Young was charged, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said he was a self-proclaimed “incel,” meaning he is part of an online community of men who are involuntarily celibate and prone to misogyny because they do not feel they are attractive to women.
Prosecutors said the male victim attempted to stop one of Young’s assaults after several videos showing the attacks were circulated on YouTube.
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