James Stachowiak is well known by law enforcement for his anti-Islamic extremist views and his willingness to portray those views in public while showing off firearms. Now, after a recent public airing of his views, Stachowiak, 60, has been indicted on two counts of felony terroristic threats.
District Attorney Jared Williams confirmed the charges, which carry a maximum of $1,000 fine and five-years imprisonment for each charge if convicted.
The latest incident occurred last December when Stachowiak walked into the Aldi supermarket in Martinez wearing an anti-Black Lives Matter t-shirt. According to police reports, Stachowiak confronted a man, Marcus Patrick, whom Stachowiak thought was staring at him.
According to The Jail Report, Stachowiak began using profanity. Stachowiak drew and extended an ASP Baton and warned Patrick that he was also carrying a firearm and that he knew how to use it.
“Multiple witnesses inside the store observed the incident, confirmed Mr. Patrick’s account, and provided statements,” a sheriff’s report says. “One of the store’s customers contacted the Sheriff’s Office, and Mr. Stachowiak fled the area. When I arrived on scene, multiple customers were waiting inside the store for an escort because they believed Mr. Stachowiak was still in the parking lot.”
Stachowiak has made state and even national news for his radical views and his attempts to hold anti-Islamic rallies in Atlanta. He is also well known for attempting to photo bomb Republican politicians and grab selfies of them next to him while he was wearing shirts proclaiming, “Patriots Against Black Lives Matter” and “Allah Is Not God.”
When confronted at his home by a sheriff’s deputy after this latest incident, Stachowiak attempted to claim self-defense and said that the victim “came at him,” but the Aldi security footage does not support Stachowiak’s account of the incident, a report says. At the time, Stachowiak was issued a citation.
A grand jury has now upgraded the two charges from misdemeanors to felonies. Stachowiak is being held without bond.
Greg Rickabaugh of The Jail Report contributed to this story.
Scott Hudson is the Editorial Page Editor of The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
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