OROVILLE MAN PLEADS NO CONTEST TO FELONY HATE CRIME CHARGES
09.09.2026 "Press Release" - Butte County District Attorney's Office
By Will Sheffield
An Oroville man finally admitted to felony hate crime charges in the Butte County Superior Court today, stemming from a racially motivated incident at a local park.
Orrin Tyler Colbourn, age 40, pleaded no contest as charged to one felony count of criminal threats and one felony count of violation of civil rights, a hate crime.
The charges were from an August 29, 2025 incident in which Colbourn confronted a Hispanic woman and her two young children at Palermo Park.
Witnesses reported that Colbourn approached the mother and children while they were playing at the park and began yelling at them. Colbourn made repeated statements about “white power,” claimed he ran the park, and declared he was “taking over this park.” He used a racial slur against the victim and told her to “go back to Mexico.”
He also threatened to kill the victim. Throughout the encounter, Colbourn repeatedly touched what appeared to be a weapon on his side, later determined to be a screwdriver tucked into his pants.
The victim, fearing for her safety and that of her children, continually backed away from Colbourn as he followed her. A male witness, who was also confronted by Colbourn, overheard the racial slurs and saw the threatening behavior, and reported the incident to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was delayed when Colbourn was examined by a court-appointed psychologist, who declared Colbourn incompetent to stand trial. The judge suspended proceedings in February of this year.
On August 19, 2026, after Colbourn received treatment in the Butte County Jail, the judge declared Colbourn competent to stand trial. A jury trial was then scheduled to begin on September 28, 2026, but it has now been vacated due to today’s plea.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey stated: “Hate crimes and racially motivated threats strike at the core of our community’s values and the fundamental rights of all residents to live free from intimidation and violence. This prosecution sends a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated in Butte County.”
Colbourn has remained in custody continuously since his arrest. He remains in custody without bail pending his sentencing hearing scheduled for October 28, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state prison. Felony criminal threats constitute a strike under California’s Three Strikes law.
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