When James Trexler heard his sentence - one year in jail - for threatening a black motorist and using racial epithets, he began to sniffle. Soon he let go a sob and noisily blew his nose.

About five minutes earlier, the Gloucester County courtroom had been still as Trexler, 24, read a short statement about the person he said he used to be. He is a changed man, he said in a monotone yesterday. He said he was embarrassed that he had been "the type of person who could say such a cruel thing."

On April 29, 2006, while driving his truck on Route 45 in South Harrison, the Salem County resident flashed his high beams at a shiny new BMW that Terence Jones, an African American, was driving.

When Jones pulled over to find out what the stranger behind him on the road wanted, Trexler - who is white - used a racial slur, swore at Jones, and suggested that minorities shouldn't own expensive cars.

Jones, of South Harrison, said Trexler pointed a gun at him and Jones' brother, Douglas, a passenger, and threatened them. Weapons charges were dismissed in a plea agreement that called for Trexler to admit only to two counts of verbal bias intimidation.

The agreement left sentencing to the discretion of the judge, who could impose probation or up to 18 months in prison on each count. State Superior Court Judge Walter Marshall Jr. said Trexler deserved jail time because he was a repeat offender.

"Granted, no one was physically harmed," Marshall said. "But this is egregious because it occurred 11 days" after Trexler had been sentenced to probation for another hate crime, committed in 2005. "He needs deterrence. . . . He holds a hatred for a person of another race."

Trexler, a laborer from Pittsgrove, previously set a cross afire on a lawn in Salem County and burned a racial epithet onto the street in front of the house. He was angry because the homeowner had expelled him from a game of beer pong after he had used racial slurs against an African American player.

"Bias offenses are very serious offenses because they send a message that someone is not welcome in a community because of their race," said Robert Luther, a specially assigned state attorney general. Luther said that a search of Trexler's trunk revealed two paintball guns, one of which matched the description of the gun Terence Jones said he saw.

Jones, a former Philadelphia police officer, told the judge that Trexler intentionally inflicted fear and emotional pain on him because of his race.

"This court needs to send a message to James Trexler and people who think like him" that prejudice won't be tolerated, he said.

Len Baker, Trexler's attorney, had asked for leniency. "The risk of him committing another offense is small," Baker said, explaining that Trexler had kicked his daily marijuana and alcohol habit.

Baker said that Trexler had "grown up" and now has a wife, a child, and a steady job.

In addition to jail time, the judge ordered anger management and a mental health evaluation.

Afterward, Trexler's mother - who would not reveal her name - lashed out.

"Mr. Jones has manipulated this court," she said in the courthouse corridor. "He calls the news, cameras, the NAACP."

Loretta Williams, vice president of the Gloucester County chapter of the NAACP, attended yesterday and said she was pleased by the outcome.

"I believe there are many more cases throughout New Jersey that are similar, but not everyone has the persistence Mr. Jones has for justice to prevail," she said.

After the incident, Jones followed Trexler's truck in order to get its license plate number. While the case went on for 31/2 years and Trexler remained free on bail, Jones said, he attended about 30 hearings, most of which ended in postponements.

Jones said he was satisfied with Trexler's sentence.

"I'm happy that he's going to jail," he said. "I don't know if you can change someone's heart, but I hope he gets rehabilitated."