A man was arrested for allegedly tearing down ribbons at the Jewish Community Center in Newton, Massachusetts, this week and harassing two Jewish youths in the city last month, officials said Friday.
Officers were called around 5:53 p.m. Tuesday to the JCC on Nahanton Street for a report of a man tearing down blue ribbons tied to trees lining the property, Newton police said.
A 49-year-old Boston man was found on scene and identified by police as the suspect, police said, saying he was charged with defacing property, defacing property to intimidate and larceny.
As the police department was investigating the JCC vandalism, officers determined the suspect, identified by police and prosecutors Friday as Alexei Rodriguez, was also the driver of a white SUV that was involved in another incident in town back on April 30, when he allegedly drove to Newton in order to harass and intimidate two Jewish youths who are members of the community and were walking in the area.
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Rodriguez was arrested by Newton police on Thursday and was arraigned in Newton District Court on several charges Friday: defacing property, larceny under $1,200, damaging property to intimidate, assault two intimidate, assault with a dangerous weapon and civil rights violations, prosecutors said. His bail was set at $500, and he was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and stay away from the JCC, the victims and their homes as well as Newton synagogues.
It wasn't immediately clear if Rodriguez had an attorney who could speak to the charges.
