BEVERLY HILLS- On Thursday, November 19, 2020, the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office announced that a Pennsylvania man pleaded no contest for vandalizing the Nessah Synagogue in Beverly Hills.
Anton Nathaniel Redding, 25, entered the plea to one felony count of vandalism of religious property. Redding was sentenced to 220 days in county jail and 5 years of probation. He must also pay $166,604 in restitution and complete a 12-month residential treatment program.
Redding broke into the Synagogue on Saturday, December 14, 2019, at approximately 2:00 a.m.
Redding forced entry into the Synagogue and ransacked the interior. He disrupted the contents of the Synagogue and the furnishings by overturning furniture and disrupting brochures and other materials throughout the interior. Several Jewish relics were also damaged. The Synagogue’s interior contents were primarily disrupted and there was very little structural damage.
No one was inside the Synagogue at the time of the crime.
The Beverly Hills Police Department reported that there were no signs of markings or overt signs of anti-Semitism.
“This cowardly attack hits at the heart of who we are as a community. It is not just an attack on the Jewish Community of Beverly Hills; it’s an attack on all of us. The entire City stands in solidarity behind Nessah, its members, and congregants. We are committed to catching the criminal who desecrated a holy place on Shabbat of all days and bringing him to justice. We are equally committed that our City will continue to be a welcoming place for Jews and for members of all religions and groups.” former Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirisch said in a statement on December 14, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Beverly Hills Police Department.
