An East Northport attorney was arraigned for trespassing and harassing members at a Melville mosque.
According to Suffolk County police, Jordan Endler entered the Islamic Center of Melville, located at 118 East Old Neck Road, on February 21 at 2:36 p.m. and made statements regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. Endler was asked to leave by members of the mosque, but refused. Police were called and Endler left the location after police arrived.
Following an investigation by Hate Crimes Unit detectives, Endler, 46, was arrested at his home, located at 59 Norton Drive in East Northport, at 7:53 p.m. He was charged with third-degree criminal trespass and second-degree harassment. He was held at the Third Precinct and was scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on February 23.
On February 23, 2024, Endler was arraigned on one count of third-degree criminal trespass, a Class B misdemeanor, and second-degree harassment, a violation, before District Court Judge Alonzo G. Jacobs, who ordered Endler released on his own recognizance during the pendency of the case, but issued an order of protection for the employee at the request of Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office. Under current New York State law, the offenses Endler is charged with are considered non-bail eligible.
Endler is due back in court on April 3.
“I want to remind everyone that no matter what else is going on in the world, here in Suffolk County, we will not tolerate bias or hate. I want to thank the Muslim community for alerting us to this incident, so that detectives from our office and the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit can continue to investigate it,” Tierney said. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that all Suffolk County residents feel safe in their houses of worship, regardless of their faith.”