Shelby man pleads to misdemeanor in ethnic intimidation case.

Sizemore

Shelby man pleads to misdemeanor in ethnic intimidation case.

#OceanaCountyCrime

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

SHELBY — A 68-year-old Shelby man who faced a felony count of ethnic intimidation and a misdemeanor of false impersonation of a police officer following an incident last June pleaded “no contest” Monday, Sept. 21, in 27th Circuit Court to an added misdemeanor count of assault and battery.

James Richard Sizemore, of 2293 W. Woodrow Rd., will be sentenced Nov. 16, according to court staff.

It was alleged that Sizemore yelled, “F—— Mexicans!” at a Shelby business owner and his grandfather, said Shelby Police Chief Robert Farber. The incident occurred at at an auto business, Cisneros II, which had recently opened on State Street.

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Sizemore also was waving his finger in their faces, saying, “‘You are taking business away from my people in this community,’” Farber said.

“The gentleman came in and was aggressive and wanted to know if anyone spoke English,” said Chief Farber.

Sizemore allegedly claimed he was an ‘off-duty law enforcement K-9 officer’ and demanded to see the store owner’s business license. Sizemore is not a police officer, said Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon.

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