A man was arrested and charged with aggravated criminal damage on Thursday for his alleged involvement in the anti-Semitic vandalism of a synagogue in Tucson, Ariz., earlier in June.
The Tucson Police Department said their Street Crimes Interdiction Unit identified Nathan Beaver, 30, as the suspect behind the June 7 incident at Chabad on River, where a swastika and anti-Semitic slur were found spray-painted on the door of the synagogue. Beaver was charged and booked into the Pima County jail.
The charge against Beaver can result in a class 5 or class 6 felony conviction, depending on the damage’s monetary value, or a class 1 misdemeanor conviction, according to TusconSentinel.com. He faces a potential sentence between six months and two-and-a-half years, but Arizona law states that the penalties can be increased if the targeted property is a house of worship.
Rock damage to the front glass door at Congregation Chaverim in Tucson, Ariz., May 18, 2021. Source: Screenshot.
“We have continually expressed we have no tolerance for crimes based on hate or targeted towards places of worship. This arrest confirms that commitment,” Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said.