OROVILLE MAN SENTENCED TO STATE PRISON FOR HATE CRIMES
10/07/2026 "Press Release" - Butte County District Attorney's Office
An Oroville man was sentenced today in the Butte County Superior Court to two years and eight months in state prison for felony hate-crime charges stemming from a racially motivated confrontation with a Hispanic family at Palermo Park last year.
Orrin Tyler Colbourn, age 40, had previously pleaded no contest last month to one felony count of criminal threats and one felony count of violation of civil rights, a hate crime.
The charges stemmed 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 repeatedly shouted “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 at his side, later determined to be a screwdriver tucked into his pants. The victim, fearing for her and her children’s safety, continually backed away from Colbourn as he followed her. A male witness, who was also confronted by Colbourn, overheard the racial slurs, observed the threatening behavior, and reported the incident to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
Colbourn’s court case was delayed after he was examined by a court-appointed psychologist, who found him incompetent to stand trial. The judge suspended proceedings in February of this year. On August 19, 2026, after receiving treatment in the Butte County Jail, the judge declared Colbourn competent to stand trial. A jury trial was then scheduled to begin in September but was vacated after his plea.
At today’s sentencing hearing, the Butte County Probation Department recommended, and the prosecution requested, that the court impose the maximum upper term of three years and eight months in state prison. They cited Colbourn’s significant criminal history, which included eight prior felony convictions and four prior prison terms, and the fact that Colbourn committed the present offenses while on supervised release from prison on two 2023 felony cases involving car theft and fleeing from the police.
Butte County Superior Court Judge Michael Deems instead imposed the middle term of two years and eight months in state prison, finding that Colbourn’s mental condition significantly reduced his culpability for the offenses and outweighed the aggravating factors cited by the Probation Department and the prosecution.
Colbourn’s probation report documented that he had been diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder. In his statement to the probation department, he attributed his conduct to not taking his mental health medication.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey stated, “Hate-motivated threats have no place in our parks or anywhere in Butte County. A mother and her young children were subjected to racial abuse and death threats in a public place where they had every right to feel safe. Justice requires that mental illness be considered, but justice also requires accountability. This office pursued that accountability and will continue to do so.”
Ramsey noted the hate crimes act as “strikes” on Colbourn’s record should he ever reoffend.
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