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KLAMATH FALLS Klamath Falls man pleads guilty in racially charged case Department of Justice officials 'aggresssively' sought a conviction Comment By Gerry O'Brien Klamath Herald and News MailTribune.com By Gerry O'Brien Klamath Herald and News Posted May. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Gerry O'Brien Klamath Herald and News Posted May. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News John Blayne Vangastel, 37, of Klamath Falls, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. Federal Court in Medford to one count of using threats of force to injure, intimidate and interfere with his neighbors in the enjoyment of their housing rights because they are a family of Vietnamese descent. According to court documents, on the evening of Dec. 30, 2015, Vangastel, who had been living next door to the family for approximately three months, entered the family’s property without permission. Vangastel admitted that he then forcibly blocked their front commercial gate so that family members could not park their vehicles on their property after returning from work. When one of the family members told Vangastel to let go of the gate and get off of the family’s property, Vangastel told the family member to “push [him] off the property.” He then raised his hand and balled up his fist as though he was going to assault one of the female family members. Vangastel further admitted that he then repeatedly tried to instigate a fight with the rest of the family, threatening to hit them and making comments like, “You are trash;” “You are not even white;” and “You smell like salmon-fish.” He also told the family something to the effect of, “I’ll beat you because you are Asian,” and “You [expletive] Vietnamese — you don’t deserve to live here.” Prosecutors said the incident was the culmination of Vangastel’s repeated intimidation of his neighbors, who had lived at their residence for 20 years without incident. As a result of Vangastel’s conduct, the family became so fearful that they moved out of their home. “Our country guarantees all people the right to live in their homes without fearing violence or intimidation because of their national origin,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in a press release. “Threatening force against people because of where they or their relatives come from violates our civil rights laws and offends our values of human dignity, decency and respect. As this conviction shows, the Department of Justice will continue to aggressively and effectively prosecute hate crimes.” "This case was egregious, and I reached out to the Feds to ask them to take this case," Klamath County District Attorney Rob Patridge told the Herald and News. "I appreciate the diligent work of the Oregon State Police, FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office in handling this matter. Nobody should have to tolerate the continued racial harassment this family was subjected to in their own home." As part of the plea deal, Vangastel also pleaded guilty to several counts of stalking the family, Patridge said. “This case exemplifies the powerfully negative impact of bigotry and xenophobia,” said U.S. Attorney Bill J. Williams of the District of Oregon in the press release. “It is the moral obligation of every citizen to promote tolerance and diversity in our communities so that no one is subjected to intimidation or assault because of their heritage." A sentencing hearing has not yet been set. By Gerry O'Brien Klamath Herald and News MailTribune.com By Gerry O'Brien Klamath Herald and News Posted May. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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