NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A New Orleans man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to a hate crime four years after a synagogue was vandalized in St. Tammany Parish.
On Wednesday, March 30, 22-year-old Caine Zander Brown pleaded guilty as charged to counts that included a hate crime and simple criminal damage to property.
The crime dates back to September 2018, when Mandeville police responded to the Northshore Jewish Congregation for a criminal damage report. When they arrived, officers observed graffiti on the building depicting violence and hatred, including”
- Two swastikas
- The word “burn”
- The number 1488 (a symbol of White supremacy)
- The words “synagogue of Satan”
The Department of Justice reports that authorities were unable to immediately determine a suspect in the incident. However, an FBI interview with Brown about another attack on a religious group in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania helped police determine him as a suspect. According to a statement, Brown “gave himself away” when he expressed knowledge of the Mandeville synagogue vandalism.
Police later learned Brown was in the Mandeville area at the time of the crime and had lived in an apartment complex near the Northshore Jewish Congregation. An investigation revealed Brown had multiple social media posts expressing Nazi beliefs, including denial of the Holocaust and use of the phrase “synagogue of Satan” — a phrase that was painted on the synagogue’s building during the attack.
Detectives were also able to locate pictures of Brown in Nazi headwear and making Nazi salute gestures. An interview with Brown’s former roommate additionally revealed Brown had admitted to him that he was responsible for the attack.
On March 11, 2020, Brown was arrested.
During the trial, the DOJ says four victim impact letters were read to the court, including one from a congregant, saying:
“Anyone who knows me, understands that I come from a place of love for my fellow human beings, however, this incident is a hate crime which even crosses the line of human decency. It is hurtful, insulting, unacceptable and should not go unpunished, lest the feelings expressed on the walls of our religious home are perpetuated. It violates the basic tenants of Humanity.”
Brown was sentenced to the following:
- 2 years of probation
- Issuing restitution to the congregation
- 54 hours of community service
- Completing a 2-part online course on Holocaust history
If his probation is violated, Brown could face 5 years in prison if he violates his probation.