A senior at Priority-1: Torah Academy of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, an alternative yeshiva in Cedarhurst, was arrested Thursday by police for at least eight incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti at Long Island Rail Road stations in the Five Towns.
Jonathan Schuster, 18, of Far Rockaway, was charged with eight counts of felony criminal mischief-third degree as a hate crime, eights counts of criminal mischief-fourth degree and eight counts of making graffiti both of which are Class A misdemeanors.
Police said that Schuster admitted he used a black marker to post the bias graffiti that usually included expletives on eight occasions dating to December 2012. The graffiti defaced advertising billboards on the platforms of the stations.
The arrest resulted from the joint efforts of the Nassau County Police Department and Metropolitan Transit Authority Police. “Thanks to the work of the men and women of the Nassau County Police Department and MTA Police, a suspect who is responsible for many anti-Semitic crimes in our community was apprehended,” said County Legislator Howard Kopel (R-Lawrence) who represents the area.
Investigators had documented 12 incidents of the graffiti since December 2012, including eight at the Cedarhurst station, three at Lawrence and one at Hewlett. The MTA Police said their investigation of the other four incidents is continuing.