The last of the four teenagers accused of taking part in a racist and antisemitic, months-long vandalism spree across Pensacola has been sentenced for his role in the hate crimes.
Waylon Fowler, 18, pleaded no contest to the 16 felonies stemming from the antisemitic vandalism and graffiti of places of worship and private buildings throughout the city of Pensacola between July 15 and Aug. 3, 2023.
Fowler and three other teenage boys were charged in connection with the spree, which included acts like throwing bricks with hateful messages written on them through the windows of synagogue Temple Beth-El and the Chabad Center, attempting to throw a brick through the window of the Al-Islam Dawah Center, as well as spray painting racist and hateful graffiti on the mosque and several other private buildings in Pensacola.
Fowler was adjudicated as a youthful offender and sentenced to probation for 48 months, plus 200 hours of community service. He could have faced a minimum of 30 years in prison, if the court had not taken a downward departure from state sentencing guidelines.
“Mr. Fowler you hurt a lot of people,” Circuit Judge John Gontarek said during Friday’s sentencing at the courthouse in downtown Pensacola. “The court has thought long and hard about what would be a just sentence in this case and has decided to allow, in a sense, you to make a decision as to what’s going to happen. If you mess up, you’re sending yourself to prison.”
Gontarek found that Fowler lacked the capacity to appreciate the criminality of his actions, and he also took into consideration that Fowler had no prior criminal record and cooperated with law enforcement for the most part during the investigation.
Waylon Fowler listens to his legal team before a sentencing hearing before Circuit Judge John Gontarek on Friday, January 24, 2025. Fowler is being sentenced for his role in a mid-2023 antisemitic and vandalism spree.
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The judge also ordered Fowler to write letters of apology to the victims and make restitution, among other requirements including working or attending school full-time, no internet except for work or school, continuing mental health treatment, and watching the movie “Schindler’s List,” to gain a better appreciation of what the Jewish people endured in Nazi-run Germany during World War II.
Prior to sentencing the judge heard from several people in support of the teenager, as well as others who wanted to see him punished with prison time.
Fowler spoke to the judge and apologized repeatedly. He said he long struggled with feeling like an “outcast” and a “basket case” and that he found what he falsely believed was friendship and support with radical groups online that preached white supremacy and violence and aggression toward others like Jewish people, Black people and women.
“I indulged the delusions, the hate and not once did I decide to look back,” Waylon told the judge. “I chose to double down harder anytime an obstacle presented itself to me. Looking back now, beyond this point, I wish to right what I have done. I wish to pursue a future and find a new and a better purpose in this life.”
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The prosecution presented evidence which included hate-filled flyers, videos and memes Fowler had created to help recruit others to the cause.
Police also found many images on his phone and computer depicting Fowler, and others at various locations in Pensacola appearing to support racist graffiti and carrying the Confederate flag.
Fowler’s grandmother, Sandra Magie, told the judge the flag belonged to Kessler Ferry, one of Fowler’s co-defendants.
During testimony, she testified they have known the Kessler family for years. Waylon said when he began to dive deeper into that “world,” he found the brothers, “specifically Kessler, were already well established in it,” and they fed off each other.
In December, Nicholas Ferry, 17, and Kessler Ferry, 19, were each sentenced to 18 months probation for a combined total of 10 felonies for their role in the vandalism. They also received additional court-ordered requirements similar to what Judge Gontarek imposed on Fowler.
The case of a fourth teen who was 15 at the time of the incident was handled in juvenile court. The outcome of his case is unknown, but Fowler’s grandmother said on the stand that the boy also received probation as part of his sentence, which she asked the judge to give Fowler, as well.
Fowler’s mother also pleaded with the judge not to send her son to prison. She condemned what he did and made no excuses for her son.
Joli King told the court she did the best she could raising Waylon and his brother as a single mom, with the help of her mom and stepfather. She said Waylon grew up with learning disabilities and is now committed to therapy and taking medication.
King believes her son’s struggle with his identity and self-esteem issues led him down a dark path he wants to leave in the past.
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“I throw myself before you as a mother who wants what’s best for her son,” King said. “It is incumbent upon him to reassure his community and to resolve these issues, but I think that knowledge is power and that when you teach someone that they are wrong there’s more power in the knowledge that comes from that.”
Local attorney and longtime member of Temple Beth-El Terry Gross also spoke at Fowler’s sentencing. He spent time talking with Fowler and while he understands and condemns the hate speech and vandalism, he told the judge prison was not the teenager needed. He said that would only make him worse than before and that he thought Fowler was a misguided young man, and wasn’t evil at heart.
“People are watching this case,” Gross said. “Yes, there should not be a slap on the wrist, but too much time in an idle teenage person’s hands in this day and age is detrimental, especially with the web out there and all the evils that the web could provide you at the fingertips.”
Fowler says he now plans to get his GED, finish his high school education, commit himself to community service, and live his life peacefully.
“I am deeply sorry that I caused the terror, distress and fear,” Fowler said. “Most of all I wish to give back love to the people that I hurt.”
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola teen charged with hate crimes gets probation for 16 felonies