A 51-year-old YouTuber is facing felony charges after police say he pepper-sprayed a Costco shopper in the face all while rolling camera for his YouTube channel. The March 28 incident outside a busy Mountain View, California store has sparked fresh debate over creators who push the limits of “free speech” stunts for clicks.
It went down around 2 p.m. on March 28, 2026, in the parking lot of the Costco on Rengstorff Avenue. Richard Maza and his group including fellow YouTubers Richard Troyan of “True North Transparency” and Nick and Conrad Rankin of iiMPACT MEDIA were filming what they call a “First Amendment audit.”
Police say the crew zeroed in on one male shopper. They mocked him with personal insults, trying to get a reaction. When the man got into his car to leave, Maza allegedly leaned in, held his camera inside the window, and sprayed him directly in the face.
A tweet from X.
Mountain View police called it no accident. Officer Andrew Wong wrote in his report that Maza and the group
“deliberately used insults to anger people so they could claim self-defense and escalate for content.”
Wong added:
“It appears Maza’s actions were not only not a legitimate attempt of self defense, but he, along with the rest of his group, was actively seeking to create a circumstance in which he could justify using pepper spray.”
Officers noted Maza’s behavior was
“not typical of victims who are truly defending themselves.”
They found three canisters of pepper spray on him, impounded his car, and got a search warrant looking for evidence of premeditation.
Maza was arrested the next day. He faces two felonies: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and use of tear gas. This man was arraigned on April 2, released without bond, and ordered to stay at least 50 yards away from that Costco store. His next court date is May 19 in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
The victim suffered a corneal abrasion, blurred vision, and temporary major vision loss that lasted more than a week. He told doctors it felt
“like looking through crumpled Saran Wrap.”
At one point he had 80 percent vision loss; it later settled around 40 percent. He worries the damage could be permanent and affect his job.
His lawyer, Andrew Watters of Redwood City, is preparing a civil lawsuit against Maza. The claim seeks more than $1 million in damages for personal injury and racketeering, arguing the provocation was part of a monetized scheme. The suit is not yet filed but could drop as soon as this week.
Richard Maza, 51, lives in Northridge in Southern California. He runs the YouTube channel “Freedom of the Press,” where he films confrontational “First Amendment audits.” These videos show him recording in public places, often provoking reactions, then posting the edited clips for views and ad money.
Police say pepper-spray incidents on his channel pull triple the normal views, turning escalation into a business model. Maza was on a California tour with other auditors when the Costco run happened.
“First Amendment auditor” videos have exploded on YouTube, with creators arguing they’re protecting public filming rights. Critics say the genre has turned into harassment for profit, especially when weapons get involved. Mountain View police received at least four 911 calls about the group that day before the spray even happened.
This case puts a spotlight on where free-speech stunts end and public safety begins. With Maza’s May 19 hearing coming up and a big civil suit on deck, it could force platforms and creators to rethink content that rewards confrontation. For now, the facts are clear from police records: one man got hurt, charges are filed, and the cameras kept rolling.
