DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced today that a Chicago man charged with yelling racial slurs and threatening three African-American men and one Hispanic man with a knife has been sentenced to two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Ranferi Basilo, 33 (d.o.b. 3/26/1986) of 6437 W. Dakin Street, appeared at a sentencing hearing this morning where Judge George Bakalis handed down the sentence. On June 4, 2019, Basilo entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of Felony Hate Crime. Basilo has been out on bond after posting the necessary 10%, or $7,500 of his $75,000 bond. He was immediately taken into custody after today’s proceedings to begin serving his sentence.
On November 8, 2018, at approximately 10:24 p.m., the four victims, all DuPage County residents, entered the 7- Eleven on Westmore Street in Lombard where Basilo was working as a clerk. While the four men were in the store, Basilo began yelling racial slurs at them. When the victims decided to leave the store, Basilo followed them out. Once outside the store, Basilo continued yelling racial slurs at the men and pulled out a long-bladed knife. The four victims then ran away from the store, leaving their car in the parking lot. As they ran away, Basilo yelled “I am going to slash all four tires.” Basilo then slashed all four tires of the car in which the victims arrived. Lombard Police were called to the scene and after investigating the matter took Basilo into custody.
“Hate crimes have no place in civilized society,” Berlin said. “Simply put, any action undertaken with hate as a driving force that is intended to harm, intimidate or instill fear in another will not be tolerated in DuPage County, as Mr. Basilo learned today. These types of crimes victimize not only the intended target, but also entire communities. I would like to thank the Lombard Police Department for their work in the quick identification and apprehension of Mr. Basilo. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Willis for his work in holding Mr. Basilo responsible for his disgusting behavior.”
Basilo will be required to serve 50% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.