Self-Described 'Incel' Pepper-Sprayed Woman In OC, Prosecutors Allege

COSTA MESA, CA — A self-proclaimed "incel" was charged with felony hate crimes after he posted a video of himself sexually harassing and then pepper spraying a woman in Orange County, Orange County Superior Court records show.

25-year-old Johnny Deven Young, of Anaheim, was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday as he faces multiple felony charges, including four counts of assault with great bodily injury and four counts of illegal use of tear gas, with four enhancements for personal use of a deadly weapon and eight felony hate crime enhancements.

Young did not enter a plea to the charges Monday and is scheduled to return to court Oct. 10, court records show.

He faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in state prison if convicted, Orange County District Attorney Spokeswoman Kimberly Edds told the Orange County Register. He is being held in jail on more than $500,000 bail, she said.

Young had been sought by police for months until he was arrested after he was convicted of a misdemeanor in San Mateo County on Sept. 21, the Orange County Register reported. He was moved back to Orange County on Sept. 21.

The Costa Mesa Police Department said Young filmed himself in two separate incidents harassing women outside of a nightclub at the Triangle Square shopping center and spraying them with an unidentified chemical earlier this year.

According to a previous Patch report, police said Young assaulted several people who confronted him after the incidents.

Young also has a prior misdemeanor hate crime conviction in Nevada, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Young is a self-proclaimed "incel," meaning he is part of an online community of men who are involuntarily celibate and prone to misogyny because they do not feel they are attractive to women.

Prosecutors said the male victim attempted to stop one of Young's alleged assaults after several videos showing the attacks were circulated on YouTube.

"No one should have to live in fear that they could be indiscriminately attacked and then publicly humiliated on the Internet because of their gender," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. "This behavior is disgusting and the celebration of this behavior by like-minded individuals is completely unacceptable. These charges send a very strong message to that entire community that we will not tolerate violence against women in any form."

RELATED: Costa Mesa Police Searching For Man Accused Of Attacking Women

City News Service contributed to this article.