Two arrested for alleged racist attack on pedestrian
Two Hoboken residents, one of whom sported tattoos of white supremacy symbols, were charged with assault and bias intimidation last Saturday after they allegedly threatened to kill a black man whom they allegedly chased down Jefferson Avenue with a brick, a police report said.
Miguel DeLeon III, 34, and Matthew Ryan Bailin, 29, both of Hoboken, were arrested by police who responded to a 911 call from the man being chased just before 4 a.m. on May 17.
The victim, who is African-American, told police that he was walking home when he approached the men and asked if he could borrow a lighter. They proposed a trade for a cigarette, the report said, but he declined and walked away. It was then, he told police, that DeLeon and Bailin allegedly began chasing him, allegedly threatening to kill him, and allegedly taunting him using racial epithets including the N-word and two others referring to animals.
Police apprehended DeLeon, who apparently could not keep up with the victim. Bailin was arrested when police found him allegedly still chasing the victim and allegedly carrying a brick, the report said. He surrendered to police at gunpoint.
Bailin told police that he was chasing the victim because he had threatened him with a gun and told him he would kill him. According to police, both Bailin and DeLeon used racially charged language to describe the victim to police. When he was placed in custody, police photographed white supremacy and white power tattoos on Bailin’s body. Both Bailin and DeLeon continued to threaten the victim while in holding cells at police headquarters, the report said.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office was notified about the case due to DeLeon and Bailin’s alleged comments, as is procedure in cases involving the possibility of a hate crime.
In addition to bias and assault, Bailin was also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and issuing terroristic threats.
Riding dirty
A Hoboken man was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and driving with a suspended license after police allegedly found him parked in the middle of the street on Tuesday night with a marijuana blunt, a police report said.
Police approached Luis LeBron Jr., 26, of Hoboken, around 10:05 p.m. on Tuesday night outside 320 Marshall Drive, after noticing his car parked illegally in the middle of the street, the report said. After running the car’s license plates through the system, police found that the owner of the car, LeBron, allegedly had a suspended driver’s license.
As officers approached the car, they smelled an odor of burnt marijuana, said the report. As LeBron stepped out of the car, one officer saw a blunt and a bit of loose marijuana fall to the floor of the car. According to the report, LeBron admitted that the narcotics belonged to him.
Another passenger in the car was released at the scene. LeBron was also charged with possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle.
Trouble at the supermarket
A Guttenberg man was charged with robbery on Friday after allegedly shoving a security guard who tried to stop him from allegedly trying to leave Shop Rite with over $250 worth of goods, a police report said.
Dominic Marino, 30, was allegedly spotted by the store’s security guard gathering items and filling an entire shopping cart before allegedly attempting to leave the store without paying. The security guard called out to Marino, the report said, who ignored the warnings and continued to leave the store.
The security guard then placed his hand on Marino’s shoulder in an effort to grab his attention. Marino turned and allegedly shoved the security guard with two hands, nearly causing him to fall. After catching his balance, the guard slammed Marino to the ground and only released him after he agreed to wait for police.
The security was unhurt and refused medical attention.