An Albuquerque man pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor hate crime stemming from anti-Semitic threats he made against a Jewish woman who runs the Nosh Jewish Delicatessen and Bakery in Nob Hill.
After John Ng, 60, entered his guilty plea, a judge sentenced him to four years of probation.
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He was arrested by the FBI on March 7, 2014, for interfering with the victim’s federally protected rights by threatening her, and interfering with her business because of her religion and because she owned a Jewish restaurant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
Ng remained in federal custody until the court found him competent in May 2015. He was then released on conditions that included supervision by the U.S. Pretrial Services agency.
Ng, according to the indictment, posted threatening, anti-Semitic notes on the door of the Lady’s business twice in 2014.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Ng acknowledged that he intentionally posted the notes knowing they would be perceived as threatening. He also admitted telling the FBI that he had a bad history with Jews and targeted the Nosh Jewish Delicatessen because he believed it was a good location to ensure that his message would reach as many Jews as possible, according to the news release.
The Albuquerque division of the FBI prosecuted the case, which was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico and trial attorney Angie Cha of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
