Former student pleads guilty to ethnic intimidation

Because yes, these things really do happen in Happy Valley

Last year, Nicholas Tavella, a now former Penn State student, was drunk and followed another student home making multiple racially motivated attacks. This past Monday, he pleaded guilty to his alleged charges which, in addition to ethnic intimidation, also included public drunkenness and an underage.

Court documents tell us that Tavella asked the victim if he was planning on raping someone, if he was from the Middle East, and said he was going to “put a bullet” through the victim’s chest.

While Tavella’s lawyer claims he had no malicious intent, all charges were held up in court for his preliminary hearing. Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said that this sort of crime “will not be tolerated in our community.”

Tavella is to be sentence on Nov. 18.

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