An East Meadow man was indicted for allegedly spray-painting antisemitic phrases on fences and in front of a local Jewish center in April.
Sebastian Patino Caceres, 23, was arraigned on charges of third-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime, a Class D felony; six counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief as a Hate Crime, and third-degree criminal mischief, all Class E felonies, six counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief and seven counts of making graffiti, a Class A misdemeanor, and possession of graffiti instruments, a Class B misdemeanor. He has pleaded not guilty and was released to pretrial services with electronic monitoring.
Between April 14 and 15, the defendant allegedly spray-painted several antisemitic phrases on PVC fencing of the rear yards of private homes along Merrick Avenue. The phrases included “Zionism is Nazism,” “Stop the Genocide,” “Free Palestine,” and “F-ck Israel.”
Patino Caceres allegedly spray-painted one of the phrases across plastic sheeting affixed to the PVC fencing that protected a mural of Israeli citizens who were taken hostage by Hamas in October 2023. He also allegedly spray-painted “Free Palestine” across the front cement sidewalk of the East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center at 1400 Prospect Avenue.
Patino Caceres was arrested on April 16, 2024. He was arraigned on July 16 and is due back in court on September 13, 2024. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 2-1/3 to seven years in prison.
“Armed with a can of green spray paint and his bicycle, Sebastian Patino Caceres allegedly rode up to the Beth-El Jewish Center where he spray-painted ‘Free Palestine’ right outside the front door on the sidewalk,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “He continued on to Merrick Avenue where he made the choice to deface several homeowners’ fences with antisemitic vitriol, including scrawling hateful language over a mural of the faces of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas, according to the charges. This is not just graffiti – it is an act of hate. One that is meant to instill fear in our Jewish communities. But Nassau County refuses to live in fear. My office has no tolerance for these offensive criminal actions that target entire communities and their security.”