College students charged with anti-Semitic graffiti spray-painting in three communities
By Cheryl Orson
Feb. 15, 2008
Three college students, all East Windsor residents and former East Windsor High School classmates, have been charged with spray-painting swastikas on statues and signs in three central New Jersey municipalities.
The students arrested and charged in this case are: Nicholas Kurahara, 18, a University of Delaware student; Nikolai Afanassenkov, 18, University of Hartford student; and Max Drazdik, 18, a George Washington University student. The three have been charged with bias intimidation and bias-based criminal mischief.
The vandalism occurred in East Windsor, Hightstown, and Roosevelt last month. Police said they received an anonymous tip from someone who said the men had bought spray paint at a Wal-Mart. Authorities said "stupidity" was the motive.
"The investigation clearly indicated they are not part of any organized group or hate group," said East Windsor Chief of Police William Spain who added the trio used "incredibly bad judgment and will now face serious consequences."
The crimes:
East Windsor
On Jan. 9, the East Windsor Township Police Department received a report of criminal mischief to two road signs located on Etra Road (Route 571) in East Windsor Township. The criminal mischief to these signs included a spray painted swastika and profanity. This incident occurred during the same time period when public monuments in Hightstown and Roosevelt were also damaged with spray paint.
Investigations of these incidents began immediately within each affected community by the law enforcement agencies (New Jersey State Police, Hightstown Police Department and the East Windsor Police Department) having jurisdiction in each municipality. Throughout the course of the investigation of these incidents the involved law enforcement agencies shared information and consulted on a daily basis.
The investigation of the East Windsor case began with an examination of the possible source of the spray paint. Several days after the incident, the East Windsor Police received information from a concerned citizen indicating the person had observed young adults purchasing spray paint from a local retailer within 24 hours of the graffiti incidents.
The information provided by the person narrowed the search for the possible source of the spray paint used in these crimes. Detective Christopher Jackson of the East Windsor Township Police Department was able to obtain video of the purchase of the paint used in these crimes. Subsequent investigation identified the individuals purchasing the spray paint and further determined that the above listed individuals were responsible for the bias graffiti in East Windsor, Hightstown and Roosevelt.
The defendants were arranging and released on their own recognizance on $5,000 bail each.
Roosevelt
In Roosevelt Borough, the municipality sustaining the most damage, the anti-Semitic graffiti was found spray-painted on a pedestal holding a bust of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Jan. 9. The vandalism was believed to have occurred between 10 p.m. Jan. 8 and 6 a.m. Jan. 9.
The graffiti, which was spray-painted in a crude fashion, was also found on the local post office at the corner of Rochdale Avenue (Route 571) and Farm Lane and two street signs on Farm Lane. It included a disparaging remark next to a Star of David and what appeared to be swastika inside a square.
The graffiti on the FDR pedestal itself, located in a park next to Roosevelt Public School and across Rochdale Avenue from the post office, included a hammer and sickle, possibly meant as a symbol of communism. It also included the words "Ted was better," possibly a reference to the previous President Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, as well as a reference to not fixing the Depression.
Acting Postmaster Rochelle Shipman discovered the post office was vandalized when she reported to work shortly before 7 a.m. Jan. 9, said Darleen Reid, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service. Spray-painted in green fluorescent paint on the post office wall facing Farm Lane was a disparaging comment about government. A vulgarity was also reported spray-painted on the post office"s loading dock ramp.
Shipman contacted the State Police and postal authorities. After documenting the damage, the Postal Service then began cleaning the vandalism on its property on Jan. 9. Following the discovery of the graffiti on the post office, graffiti was found on the two street signs on Farm Lane and at the FDR bust across Rochdale Avenue. While the approximately 10-foot granite pedestal was defaced on all four of its sides, the bronze FDR bust itself, about 6 feet tall, was untouched.
Anti-Defamation League response
The Anti-Defamation League commended the Hightstown Police Department for its work in arresting the three suspects.
"ADL commends the Hightstown Police Department for their thorough work leading to the apprehension of these three individuals. Law enforcement worked diligently to obtain information from the public and then examined surveillance cameras at a nearby store which showed the suspects purchasing spray paint," said Etzion Neuer, director of the ADL's New Jersey office.
"Hate crimes are significant and demand a priority response because of their special emotional and psychological impact on an entire community. Although we are concerned by the number of incidents of hate in New Jersey, we take some solace in that New Jersey law enforcement treats hate crimes very seriously and demonstrates a high level of responsiveness," he added.
The ADL's annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents showed that New Jersey reported the second-highest number of incidents in the United States in 2006.