Man Who Carved Swastika on Lakewood Lawn Pleads Guilty

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) —
A swastika carved onto the lawn of a Jewish family in Lakewood last year by Scott Cooney. (TheLakewoodScoop.com)
A swastika carved onto the lawn of a Jewish family in Lakewood last year by Scott Cooney. (TheLakewoodScoop.com)

A Lakewood man accused of carving a swastika into the lawn of a Jewish family he had harassed pleaded guilty Monday to bias intimidation.

Ocean County prosecutors say they will recommend that Scott Cooney, 36, receive a 15-month term when he’s sentenced Aug. 21.

Authorities say Cooney repeatedly harassed and threatened the family over a period of several months before he went to their home last August and used a lead pipe to carve the swastika into their lawn. The family stayed inside their home because they did not want to provoke a confrontation.

Once Cooney left, they took a photo of the swastika and contacted police. Cooney was arrested a few days later.

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