MANDEVILLE, La. — Caine Zander Brown, a 22-year-old man from New Orleans, pleaded guilty to hate crime in addition to simple criminal damage to property.
22nd Judicial District Judge Reginald Badeaux sentenced him to a 5 year suspended sentence and two years’ probation, on the conditions that he make restitution to the congregation, he write a letter of apology to the congregation, that he do 54 hours of community service, and that he completes a two-part online course on the history of the holocaust.
Brown was arrested in 2020 after vandalizing a Jewish synagogue in Mandeville back in 2018.
Brown spray-painted anti-Semitic graffiti, including two swastikas, a cross, "14/88"- the "14" a reference to the white supremacist "Fourteen Words" slogans and the "88" a reference to "Heil Hitler," the words "synagogue of Satan," and the word "burn."
According to the Mandeville Police Department, Brown’s cellphone records showed that he was in the area of the synagogue when the hate crime occurred. Police were also able to get a statement from “a confidential source” saying that Brown admitted to the crime.
Brown also made several social media posts detailing his Nazi beliefs, denying the Holocaust and using the term “synagogue of Satan.” Police also said Brown had posted multiple pictures of himself in Nazi paraphernalia.