BRONX MAN CONVICTED OF HATE CRIME IN STICKER PASTING INCIDENT AT THROGGS NECK JEWISH CENTER

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today the “hate crime” conviction of a Bronx man who was responsible for the placement of Nazi stickers on a Jewish Community Center last summer. The stickers were obtained from the website of a hate group based in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Thomas Zibelli, 34, of 1811 Radcliffe Avenue, in the Morris Park section of the Bronx, pled guilty to one count of Aggravated Harassment in the 2nd degree as a “hate crime.” State Supreme Court Justice Troy Webber set sentencing for Tuesday, May 17, 2005 in Part 40. The judge indicated that she would impose a sentence of five years probation and require Zibelli to complete an ethnic sensitivity program. The People will recommend a sentence of six months in jail followed by probation. Ordinarily, Aggravated Harassment in the 2nd degree is a misdemeanor offense, but since a bias against Jews was the motive, the crime rises to the level of a felony offense

The incident occurred on August 28, 2004 at the Throggs Neck Jewish Center at 2918 Lafayette Avenue. Zibelli admitted that he recruited three young men from his neighborhood to blanket the outside areas of the center with stickers containing Swastikas and racist slogans. Zibelli said that he bought beer for the young men, gave them the anti-Jewish stickers, and drove them to the vicinity of the center. Zibelli said he directed two of the three recruits to place the stickers on the fence, door and message board.

Similar bias related charges also were filed against Zibelli by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Oustatcher is prosecuting the case.