On March 26th, 2020 Ocean County reported 468 total COVID-19 Cases, and and the United States as a whole had reached a total of 1,000 Covid-19 Related Deaths. At the same time there were reports of weddings and parties continuing to happen in the county, despite rules against them being in effect.
At that same time, the Lakewood Township Police Department and their Detective Bureau was made aware that Anthony Lodespoto had made threatening statements by way of the direct messaging feature of Facebook against the Jewish community of Lakewood. The next day, New Jersey State Police informed Detectives that Lodespoto had sent similar messages to the Facebook account of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. The threats largely consisted of Lodespoto threatening to travel to Lakewood with the purpose of assaulting members of the Jewish community with a baseball bat. Lodespoto was arrested without incident at his residence in Howell, and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing at that time.
Today Ocean County First Assistant Prosecutor Michael T. Nolan, Jr. announced that on August 7, 2020, Anthony Lodespoto, 43, of Howell, pled guilty to Bias Intimidation in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:16-1 before the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, J.S.C. At the time of his sentencing on September 25, 2020, the State will be seeking a sentence of 180 days in the Ocean County Jail as a condition of Probation. Lodespoto remains lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending sentencing.
First Assistant Prosecutor Nolan would like to acknowledge the fine work of Assistant Prosecutor Shanon Chant-Berry who handled the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau and New Jersey State Police for their collaborative efforts in securing this plea.
Phew. What he wrote to Murphy is pretty much one of the dumbest things I’ve seen on Facebook in the past 2 minutes.
Don Cook another Genuis
Don Cook crack is whack
This guy is barely 40 years old but looks 90. Hopefully he’s getting some mental healthcare while away.
Let me guess; a genius like him screamed “First Amendment” when he was hauled away by the police.
LMAO……what an idiot. Being frustrated at the hypocritical way Der Fuhrer in Trenton was handling Lakewood is one thing……..making direct threats towards people and then moving to carry them out is another entirely. In the first instance, you are a rational human being awake to the idiocy of pandering political whores…….in the second, you are a CRIMINAL……period.
Reap what you sow, dumbass……
When are they actually going to start prosecuting who ever is busing these large groups of kids to events throughout Lakewood. Can’t just prosecute one side of the equation.
So he’s sitting in jail but rapists are getting released earlier
Guy is definitely a nut. As far as Lakewood, their filthy wet markets will be open soon for chicken choking season so they may be adding Avian flu (another one to thank China for) to the mix as well.