Charges have been filed against the three men who disrupted a Muslim student prayer service on the University of South Florida Tampa campus.
Richard Penkoski, 49, of Canyon, Oklahoma; Christopher Svochak, 40, of Waco, Texas; and Ricardo Yepez, 28, of Tampa, are each charged with disturbing a religious assembly and disorderly conduct.
The original charges were felonies due to a hate crime enhancement, but the ones filed Thursday by the Hillsborough County State Attorney were misdemeanors because officials said the men interrupted the service with just their words and not their actions.
A Thursday press release from the office of State Attorney Suzy Lopez said the three men allegedly approached a group of 11 students, including members of USF's Muslim Student Association, along with community members who were praying in a USF parking garage on the morning of Nov. 18, 2025.
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Videos taken by both the student group as well as by the suspects themselves showed the
men repeatedly interrupting the prayers, harassing the students by shouting at them and telling them they were "going to burn in hell" and that they "needed Jesus Christ."
Penkoski was described as the leader of the group "Warriors for Christ" on its YouTube page, where live stream video of the incident was posted.
The group is known for protesting against LGBTQ+ events, outside of abortion clinics, and against Islam. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated it as an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group.
The trio had no ties to USF.
Abu Tahir, a member of the MSA, later described being afraid that the encounter would turn violent.
"They walked close to our heads while we entered the bowing position, so close that we genuinely had a fear that they were going to stomp on our heads," he said.
Tahir said when they finished their prayers, the men were taunting the students with bacon. In Islam, pork is forbidden.
"We had no idea whether we were going to leave there safely," Tahir said.
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When they filed charges in November, USF Police originally sought a hate crime enhancement. That would have upgraded the charges to felonies.
But the Hillsborough State Attorney's Office said, "While one’s words may be offensive, the criminal justice system punishes actions, not words alone.
"Both the Florida Constitution and United States Constitution protect offensive viewpoints as much as our freedom to practice our religion. Our office will defend every person’s right to worship freely, peacefully, and without fear. No one should have to choose between practicing their faith and feeling safe."
Officials with the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, weighed in on the charges Friday.
“We welcome the state attorney’s decision to hold these individuals accountable for their disruptive and harassing behavior. This action sends a clear message: the harassment of students while they are practicing their faith is unacceptable and will be met with legal consequences," Interim Executive Director Hiba Rahim said in a post on CAIR-Florida's website.
"While we believe the evidence of bias in this case is significant, we respect the strategic decision to pursue charges that offer the most direct path to a conviction. Our primary focus is ensuring the safety of Muslim students on campus and protecting the sacred, constitutional right to worship without fear of intimidation.”
The charges were filed under Florida Statute 871.01, which criminalizes the willful interruption of people gathered for worship. Although the State Attorney’s Office noted that it did not seek hate crime enhancements due to constitutional protections regarding offensive speech,
CAIR-Florida added the prosecution could deter similar actions targeting religious minorities in the future.
“This prosecution is a vital step in protecting our constitutional freedoms,” said Communications Director Wilfredo Ruiz. “We are hopeful that this case reinforces that Florida must remain a place where all people can pray in peace and dignity, free from targeted harassment.”
No arrests were made Thursday. The defendants will be arraigned soon and enter pleas.
