MINEOLA, NY — Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced the indictment of an East Meadow man, Sebastian Patino Caceres, 23, on multiple counts of Criminal Mischief as a Hate Crime. Caceres allegedly targeted the Beth-El Jewish Center and several private properties with antisemitic graffiti in April.
Arraigned before Judge Colin O’Donnell, Caceres faces charges including Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime, along with other related felonies and misdemeanors. He pleaded not guilty and was released on electronic monitoring, with a court return scheduled for September 13. The charges could lead to a prison term of up to 2-1/3 to seven years if convicted.
According to DA Donnelly, Caceres used a green spray paint can and his bicycle to deface properties, including the Jewish center where he spray-painted “Free Palestine” on the sidewalk. The vandalism continued along Merrick Avenue, where he allegedly wrote phrases such as “Zionism is Nazism” and “F-ck Israel” on private fences and a mural depicting Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.
Caceres was arrested on April 16 by Nassau County’s First Squad detectives. DA Donnelly emphasized that the community stands against such acts of hate and intimidation, which target not only individuals but also the security of entire communities.
