An armed man who confronted a group of Black teenagers during a housing inequality protest back in 2019 has accepted a plea deal.
Mark Bartlett accepted the plea deal Tuesday with the approval of the State Attorney's Office and the victims he yelled racial slurs to four years ago.
Bartlett was sentenced to 10 years probation by accepting several hate crimes, which people could face up to 55 years in state prison for.
"I apologize for my conduct that day. I was wrong to use those words and correct the pain that my words have caused anyone. I sincerely apologize," Bartlett stated in a 20-second apology, which was part of the plea deal.
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Bartlett pled guilty to carrying a concealed firearm, three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, and improper exhibition of a firearm. Some of the charges were considered hate crimes, according to Judge Alberto Millian.
"Sir, how do you plead, guilty or not guilty?" asked Millian.
"Guilty," Bartlett said.
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The incident was on MLK day in 2019. Cellphone videos show Bartlett walking up to the group of Black protestors with a handgun at his side and yelling racial slurs.
The group riding bicycles was blocking traffic to draw attention to their potential loss of affordable housing due to redevelopment in a Liberty City neighborhood when the encounter happened between Bartlett and his girlfriend.
"Mr. Bartlett is here today taking responsibility for his racist and deplorable conduct. The victims appreciate that. Hopefully, you really understand how terrible your conduct was and you are sincere about what you did," said Marwan Porter, an attorney representing the victims.
Barlett will have to take anger management classes, do 300 hours of community service, and participate in a racial sensitivity course with an organization like the NAACP.
"To be honest, I'm not really happy," said Deante Joseph, one of the victims. "It should have been all the way, no remorse because if it were the other way around, they would have put it on us. But it is what it is. He got some sort of punishment."
With permission from a probation officer, Bartlett, a South Florida businessman, is allowed to travel to Puerto Rico and Chicago for business-related trips.
