Anti-Semitic terror rampage — NJ man pleads guilty to hate crimes

🔴 Manchester man pleads guilty to federal hate crimes, terrorism

🔴 Targeted Orthodox Jewish men in Lakewood, Jackson

🔴 Called Jews "the real devils" and promised blood bath, officials say

LAKEWOOD — A Manchester man who went on a destructive rampage targeting Orthodox Jewish men has pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes in addition to terrorism, according to authorities.

Dion Marsh, 28, pleaded guilty on Thursday to five counts of federal hate crimes and one count of carjacking to the violent crime spree through Lakewood and Jackson on April 8, 2022, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said.

“This defendant violently attacked five men, driving a car into four of them, stabbing one of them in the chest, and attempting to kill them, simply because they were visibly identifiable as Orthodox Jews,” Sellinger said.

Marsh also pleaded guilty to one count of terrorism, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said last week. He had been indicted on 32 counts including attempted murder, bias intimidation, attempted kidnapping, and other crimes.

The OCPO said it will seek a sentence of 30 years in prison without parole at Marsh's sentencing on March 22. His sentencing in federal court will be June 11.

Targeted Jewish people in Lakewood, Jackson

Marsh's rampage began around 1:10 p.m. on April 8, 2022 and continued into the night.

It started when Marsh tried to carjack a Toyota Camry heading north on Arlington Avenue. The driver drove off but Marsh managed to hang on to the car for a block before letting go.

Minutes later, Marsh assaulted the driver of another Camry — a Jewish man — and stole his car.

Marsh used another vehicle to strike two Orthodox Jewish men in Lakewood and Jackson. One victim suffered several broken bones.

He then returned to the stolen Camry and, after driving around, got out of the vehicle and stabbed a third Orthodox Jewish man with a serrated kitchen knife near Pine Circle Drive and Lakewood New Egypt Road in Lakewood.

He then got back into the car to continue the rampage and hit a fourth Orthodox Jewish man around 8:23 p.m. This victim also suffered broken bones and other internal injuries.

Lakewood police also got a call around 5:30 p.m. from a father who reported that a man matching Marsh's description tried to grab his son, a minor, and pull him into a sedan.

Marsh was arrested later that evening at his home in Manchester. Police found him lying in bed and holding a machete.

Called Jews "the real devils"

Chilling court documents obtained by NJ.com revealed that Marsh said the rampage "had to be done."

Marsh promised a "blood bath" to his relatives and said that Hasidic Jews were "the real devils," according to the documents. One of those relatives said to investigators that Marsh had recently broken up with his girlfriend.

He also exhibited disruptive behavior in court.

Marsh told a judge to "shut the f**k up" in a profanity-laced tirade during a virtual court appearance weeks after the rampage. The judge had to mute the defendant when he wouldn't stop talking over court officials.

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