2 Face Felony Hate Crime Charges In Westchester

BRONXVILLE, NY — Two Westchester County men were accused Tuesday of spray-painting racist and anti-Semitic graffiti on county-owned property on the Bronxville-Yonkers border. County police said the graffiti which was found Monday included a swastika and racist language targeting African-Americans and Mexican-Americans and was on the back of a dugout at Scout Field and along a pathway north of the ball field.

The graffiti has since been covered over by county public works personnel.

Nodar Kikvidize, 22, of Bronxville, and Joseph Hasselt, 23, of Yonkers were arraigned on felony hate crime charges, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr. announced Wednesday.

Both men were charged with third-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime and first-degree aggravated harassment, felonies.

They appeared in Westchester County Court Emergency Part via video conference before judge Jo Ann Friia.

Authorities said a pedestrian walking on the path near Scouts Field and Midland Avenue in Bronxville Monday found several areas of graffiti spray painted both on the walking path and on the baseball dugout in county parkland along the Bronx River Parkway.

The passerby alerted nearby police.

Scarpino said his specialized Hate Crimes Unit is working with county police and Bronxville police as they investigate this crime and prosecute the defendants.

"This is a despicable crime targeting multiple groups and damaging public property," he said. "This kind of hate has no place in Westchester County."

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