Ocean County Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Series of Violent Assaults on Members of Orthodox Jewish Community

TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 480 months in prison for a series of violent assaults on members of the Orthodox Jewish community in and around Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today.

Dion Marsh, 29, of Manchester, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U,S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to a six-count information charging him with five counts of violating the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and one count of carjacking. With respect to the hate crimes violations, Marsh admitted to willfully causing bodily injury to five victims, and attempting to kill and cause injuries with dangerous weapons to four of them, all because they were Jewish.

“Enough is enough – hate-fueled attacks on the Orthodox Jewish community are abhorrent, unlawful and contrary to our values as Americans” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As we aggressively work to confront and eradicate antisemitic violence, we recognize the unique vulnerabilities faced by Orthodox Jews who are often targeted because of religious clothing and yarmulkes. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute senseless hate crimes and we will protect people exercising their constitutional right to practice their religion.”

“These victims were targeted by Marsh because of the way they were dressed, which is in accordance with their religious beliefs,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “They have that right in this country. Marsh, however, did not have the right and broke federal law, when he attacked, stabbed and carjacked innocent people. The rise of hate crimes in our communities has become a noxious disease. FBI Newark and our law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue anyone who violates someone’s constitutionally protected civil rights to simply be who they are. We ask anyone who thinks they've been a victim, or knows someone who is, to contact us so we can help them.”

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

At 1:18 p.m. on April 8, 2022, Marsh forced a visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man out of his car in Lakewood, assaulting and injuring him in the process. Marsh took control of the man’s car and drove away. A surveillance video in the area captured Marsh arriving in the area prior to the carjacking and assault.

At 5:20 p.m., Marsh was in Lakewood driving a different car when he deliberately struck another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man with the vehicle, attempting to kill the victim.

At 6:06 p.m., Marsh then used that second vehicle to deliberately strike another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man, attempting to kill the victim and causing him to suffer several broken bones.

At 6:55 p.m., Marsh, once again driving the vehicle that he had stolen from the first victim, attempted to kill another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man. Marsh used the stolen vehicle to deliberately strike the man, who was walking in Lakewood. Marsh got out of the vehicle and stabbed the man in the chest with a knife, causing the victim to suffer a stab wound and other injuries.

At 8:23 p.m., Marsh, still driving the vehicle that he had stolen from the first victim, used it to deliberately strike another visibly identifiable Orthodox Jewish man who was walking in nearby Jackson Township, New Jersey, attempting to kill the man and causing him to suffer several broken bones and internal injuries.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Marsh to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; officers of the Lakewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Gregory H. Meyer; officers of the Jackson Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Matthew Kunz; officers of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy; prosecutors and detectives of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, and officers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Joseph Gribko, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.