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."
No arrests were made Thursday.
The defendants will be arraigned and enter pleas.
