Newark Reporter

A man from Somerset County, New Jersey, has admitted to committing a federal hate crime after breaking into the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University and destroying property. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and New Jersey State Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.

Jacob Beacher, 24, from North Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court on October 9, 2024. He was charged with damage to religious property.

“The free exercise of religion is a fundamental right of all Americans," stated U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. "Jacob Beacher admitted he intentionally broke into the Center for Islamic Life during the holy Eid-al-Fitr holiday and damaged and destroyed religious artifacts because of the Islamic faith of those associated with the facility."

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke remarked on the case: “This defendant is being held accountable for Islamophobic-fueled acts of hate, interfering with the religious freedom of university students and staff during a sacred holiday for those of the Islamic faith.”

FBI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado commented on law enforcement's swift response: “Within days, we tracked down and arrested Beacher.”

Court documents reveal that on April 10, 2024, during Eid-al-Fitr, Beacher broke into CILRU around 2:41 a.m., damaging property including Turbah prayer stones and other items containing holy language from the Qur’an. He also stole a Palestinian flag and a charity box belonging to CILRU.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is set for February 11, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited various law enforcement agencies including special agents from FBI Branchburg Resident Agency under Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado; prosecutors and detectives from New Jersey Attorney General’s Office under Matthew J. Platkin; Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office under Yolanda Ciccone; Rutgers University Police Department-New Brunswick Division under Chief Kenneth Cop; and New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin along with R. Joseph Gribko and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert from Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.