Peninsula Hate Crime Suspect Sentenced: DA

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — A San Francisco man was given 60 days in jail and two years of supervised probation on Friday for a felony hate crime after threatening a family wearing "Black Lives Matter" t-shirts, the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office announced.

Steven L. Cibotti, 56, was eating in a restaurant in Burlingame on June 7, 2020 which was also being patronized by a family of five who had just been in a Black Lives Matter march in San Francisco. The family had three children aged seven, five and two, and they were wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts, the DA said.

Cibotti was allegedly intoxicated and approached the family's table and yelled "blue lives matter" and pushed their table. The family's father told Cibotti that he could not talk to them like that and then the defendant allegedly yelled, "F-you, if I had a gun, I would shoot all of you."

Cibotti pleaded no contest to a felony hate crime by means of felony threats and was given a suspended sentence of two years' supervised probation, 60 days in jail with one day credit for time served, and 120 hours of public service.

Cibotti must also abstain from alcohol and controlled substances including marijuana, be subject to search and seizure, not be in possession of any weapons or ammunition, and has a no contact order with the victims.

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